


The Crimson Circuit

by madam_mess



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Dancing, Fingering, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, Love in General, M/M, Pole Dancing, Prostitution, Requited Love, Robot Sex, Robot/Human Relationships, Sanzang Zenyatta, Sex, Strip Tease, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Unrequited Love, Voyeurism, Young Genji Shimada, stripper zenyatta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-04-07 01:57:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 29,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14070378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madam_mess/pseuds/madam_mess
Summary: Genji did not expect much when visiting the omnic strip club in downtown Hanamura. He certainly did not expect to fall in love with a certain golden-crowned dancer.





	1. Welcome To The Crimson Circuit

Genji’s family did not in any way approve of his actions. The Shimada clan is a noble family known, feared, and respected for their orchestration of large-scale crime in Hanamura and throughout the country of Japan. They held the image of one of the most intimidating families around the world, an image that Genji had never quite grasped onto.

Instead, he earned his own reputation as an embarrassment to his family, a wayward playboy with no sense of responsibility for his clan or for his actions. The rumors surrounding the youngest Shimada were not false in any way. Genji has no interest in participating in the organized crime of the clan and after his father’s death, he began spending less and less time within the walls of the Shimada’s estate in favor of staying out late with his friends and partying in the streets, bars, and nightclubs of Hanamura.

Tonight is no different from most. Genji waits until he is sure the clan elders are out of the halls for the evening before closing his laptop and moving to his closet. He finds a pair of neon green skinny jeans that are completely ripped down the fronts and a baggy white tank top that is not in much better condition, followed by black lace-up boots. He runs some gel through his bright green hair and messes it up in his bedroom mirror before grabbing his wallet and phone and heading out. 

He only gets halfway down the first hall of the mansion when he hears a door slide open. “Genji,” his brother’s voice hisses through the hall, trying to stay quiet and not draw more attention to themselves.

Hanzo Shimada, being the oldest son of Sojiro, has always been expected to take on more of the family’s duties. Growing up, he made up for Genji’s apathy toward the Shimada Yakuza with his own eagerness to impress his father. He has been trained since he was young to be ready for the day in which he would take over the clan’s work. Nothing could have prepared him though for the stress and heartbreak of stepping up to run the Yakuza after his father’s death only a few months ago.

Genji freezes in the hall, cursing silently to himself as he turns to face his older brother. Hanzo looks as though he has not slept since his father’s death. He has dark and puffy bags under his eyes and though he is only twenty-three, the hair at his temples is beginning to grey from stress. “Where are you going, brother?” he asks, not stepping into the hall from the doorway of his room. His voice is tired and emotionless.

“Out,” Genji says simply, sliding his hands into his pockets and shifting his weight between his legs as he waits for Hanzo’s response, all the while knowing very well that his older brother had given up on stopping him from his nightly outings quite a while ago.

The hall is silent for a moment before a fatigued sigh escapes the older brother. “Dressed like that?” he asks with a frown before disappearing behind the sliding door of his room and reemerging a moment later, tossing a heavy black jacket over to his brother. “It is cold outside,” he says simply.

Genji cannot help but laugh slightly at the comment, catching the jacket and pulling it on before waving to his brother and turning to make his way back down the hall. 

“Be back before morning,” Hanzo calls after him in warning, “I will not cover for your recklessness should the elders ask.” 

* * *

 

"There he is!” 

Genji grins as he approaches the group of young men and women waiting for him on the street corner. He puffs out a slow stream of smoke before dropping his cigarette on the sidewalk and grinding it out with his foot. “Sorry I’m late,” he explains to his friends, “Ran into my brother on the way out again. Where are we going tonight?”

This had become something of a ritual for Genji and his gang of delinquents. Most nights they would meet here, outside of the Shimada estate, in front of Rikimaru Ramen and plan their evening. The eight of them would take turns each night deciding what they would do or what clubs they would hit that evening. 

Genji knew the elders would not appreciate him hanging out with people like this. Though some of his friend’s parents were well off, none of them quite had the power or influence of the Shimada family. 

“There is a rave downtown at Club 180,” One of the girls suggests. She is a short, fair-haired girl who had just recently moved to Hanamura and started spending time with Genji’s group. The young Shimada could not be bothered to remember her name. 

“That place is sketchy! If you really want to get drugged tonight you can go but I’m not stepping foot in there.”

“Yeah, besides. It’s karaoke night at Shenanigans tonight. We missed it last week so we have to go!”

Genji only listens to the other teenagers bicker for a bit longer before stepping in. “It’s Kyon’s turn to pick,” he says suddenly, smiling as the others go quiet when he speaks. He then turns his attention to the youngest member of the posse. 

Kyon is about Genji’s height, though he is lankier with far less muscle. He has dark hair down to his shoulders which has been pulled up into a tiny, cute ponytail. He is still in high school and talks in a way that makes him sound as though he is scared of even those close to him. He seems to fumble on his words as Genji’s attention is turned to him.

“Come on, kid!” Genji urges him, stepping over and slinging his arm around the younger man’s shoulders, “You’ve got something planned right?” 

The young man hesitates for a moment before reaching into the pocket of his baggy pants and pulling out a brightly colored brochure, showing it to the group. “This might be okay.” 

The group goes even quieter as they read over the brochure being presented to them. It is pink and purple with bright yellow font reading “ _ The Crimson Circuit Lounge, Good Music. Discreet Location. Hot Dancers.”  _ and a note below reading _ “½ off drinks between midnight and 3 am.” _

The youngest man’s face goes bright red as his friends laugh at him. “Who knew Kyon was such a pervert!” “I didn’t know anyone was into things like that!” “I guess places like this exist because of people like him.”

Genji cannot help but laugh at the brochure along with his friends but at seeing the embarrassment rising in the high schooler's face, he cannot help but take pity on him. “Come on. Come on guys,” he says through his laughter, taking a moment to calm down. “We went with Shion when he wanted to go to that BDSM club,” he reminds his friends before turning his attention to one of the other teens, specifically. “And when you took us to that furry convention we all stayed quiet.”

“It wasn’t a-”

“Yes, it was,” Genji interrupts with a grin, pulling Kyon closer to his side, “So we can all go spend one night at this place and try to have fun right? Besides,” he adds on, taking the flyer from his friend’s hand and staring down at the scantily clad illustration of a metal woman, “I’ve never been to an omnic strip club before.”

* * *

 

Genji was not sure what he expected to see when walking into the dimly lit club. He and his friends entered with some hesitance, wide eyes and flushed faces. 

Genji has been to almost every strip club in Hanamura but he never saw a reason to come to one like this. The location was like any other, with colorful lights and brightly lit stages, a pole on each running from the table to the ceiling. Men and women alike crowded around the stages, tossing out money to the dancers, hollering out and cheering at the display. 

The only difference was the performers. The young Shimada could not understand how anyone could be so attracted to them. The robots on the stages were built and programmed for this, moving their hips in ways that humans could not, sliding around poles and dipping down to take the cash from their viewers. Some wore short dresses or tight-fitting clothing, many were clad only in lingerie, and others still wore nothing at all to shield their metal bodies from the eyes of their viewers. 

“Genji, come on!” One of the girls in the group grabbed her friend by the arm, dragging him toward one of the more popular stages. The green haired boy lets out a laugh as he is pulled forward to join his friends in watching the sight. Most of the chairs surrounding the stage were already taken save for one, which two of the older boys push Kyon into despite his frantic and nervous protests. 

Genji cannot help but laugh at his friend’s antics, standing toward the back of the crowd. The omnic on stage leaves nothing to the imagination. Genji often wondered if these synthetic beings had anything worth covering with clothes and his question is now answered with the performance. 

The omnic dancing on stage now is clearly built as a woman. While her body is mostly metal, she has very soft looking silicone breasts and hips. She moves in a way that no human could, stretching out her legs with flexible ease as her hips sway to the blaring and thumping music. She's surrounded by cheering spectators who only get louder as she spreads her thin metal legs to reveal what seemed to be her synthetic entrance, complete with fluorescent pink folds. Her unmoving faceplate gives no sign of hesitance as she shamelessly moves a hand between her legs and drags a finger between the folds of her entrance, coating them with a pink, slick substance.

Despite his friends cheering, Genji turns his attention elsewhere, letting his eyes roam around the room. “I’m gonna go get a drink.” He has to raise his voice to a yell to be heard over the booming music and nudges his friend closest to him. If the other young man responded, Genji did not hear it. He wastes no time in turning to head toward the bar along the far wall of the room. 

He finds himself pushing through a sea of people, some cheering and laughing as they watch performers and others staring in shock at the scenes around them.

When he gets to the bar, Genji is quick to flag down a bartender. It takes a few moments for him to get his beer and in that time he lets his eyes wander around the club once again. It was quieter in this corner. He is pleasantly surprised that he is able to hear the men and women at the bar, carrying on conversations with one another apart from the music and yelling not far away. 

His eyes are then drawn to the corner of the room, where one stage is set apart from the rest. Unlike most of the omnics dancing, the one on this stage really catches Genji’s eye. He is clothed in a thin, golden robe with a yellow sash tied loosely around his waist. His faceplate almost makes him look like a human. It is more intricate than many of the others Genji has seen with metal lips and glass eyes lined with an orange paint to resemble eyeliner. On top of his head sits an orange and golden crown, with a bright green gemstone sitting on his forehead.

What is most striking though, is how despite the omnic’s colorful attire, how sad his movements seem. He walks circles around his stage, doing a half-hearted hand motion or spin every once in a while. He hooks his ankle around the pole and leans back, letting momentum turn him in a smooth circle around it. Genji does not think that he has ever seen anything so sad or so _beautiful_ in his life.

This attention is pulled away from the sad robot when a beer is set down in front of him. He quickly thanks the bartender and fishes out some money from his wallet to give them before turning and making his way over to the stage in the corner.

Genji is surprised that the omnic on stage has no viewers sitting in the many seats around his table. He is clearly the most beautiful of the dancers here and has an enchanting aura about him. The young man stops just a few feet away from the stage, surprised when the omnic halts all motions and stands still, staring down at him with unmoving eyes. 

“Can-” Genji clears his throat, surprised at how dry it seems. He takes a sip of his beer before taking another step closer. “Can I sit down?”

The omnic just stares at him for a moment, tilting his head a bit. Genji wonders if it was strange to ask such a thing. At every other table, no one needed permission to watch the dancer. This is what they were here for, why should he ask? Even so, the space surrounding this particular omnic seems sacred in a way, as if stepping into it is a privilege only a few were allowed.

Seconds tick by and the club goes silent in between music tracks. It is not until the next song is on its first chorus that the strange omnic nods ever so slightly, granting Genji the permission that he sought. 

The green haired man has never felt nervous sitting down in front of a stripper before. He and his gang of friends have visited almost every strip club in Hanamura but not one performer had made Genji feel anxious like this. He is hypnotized, locked onto every movement the omnic makes. Every thin finger that wraps around the pole or stretches out in a graceful movement. Every leg, every delicate ankle that spins him around as he dances so slowly on his stage. Every time the omnic’s robe slides just a bit to the side, showing off the silver metal of his shoulders, his chest, his thighs, never giving much away.

Genji is vaguely aware of other club goers taking seats around the stage, tossing money at the poor omnic, demanding that he do more than he is. Demanding that he take off the robe or to pick up the pace, though the robot seems above it all, ignoring them to continue his act. As time goes by, many people come and go, seeming to get bored of the omnic after only a few minutes. Genji pays none of them any attention, his eyes locked onto the beautiful yet tragic dance in front of him.

* * *

 

“Genji? Hey, Shimada!” an annoying voice brings him from his daze as a heavy hand lands on his shoulder. “We've been looking for you! It's late- or… early. We’re headed out. Are you coming?” 

Genji tilts his head back, staring up at his friend for a moment before looking back to the omnic, who has stopped dancing completely once again. Genji thought it odd. It was the second time this dancer has stopped for him,  though he had ignored all other viewers. He then pulls out his phone, eyes widening at the time. 

_ 4:53 _

“Shit,” Genji hisses out quietly, standing up. “Yeah. Yeah, I'm coming. Give me a second.” He reaches back into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and retrieving a fairly generous stack of money. 

While Genji really did hate his family’s business, there were certain benefits of being the son, and then brother, of a Yakuza leader. His family is one of the wealthiest in Hanamura and the two Shimada heirs had unlimited access to their family’s fortune. Genji’s spending habits were questionable. He often footed the bills for all of his friends on nights out like this, spending incredible amounts of money at a time.

“Take this,” Genji says, taking a step closer to the stage and holding out the stack of paper money, totaling a little over a hundred thousand yen. “Please,” he adds on, offering the dancer a small smile with the action. He swears that his heart stops as he omnic’s metal fingers brush his wrist as he takes the money.

“Show off. What do you think you’re doing giving a stripper that kind of money?”

Genji’s attention is drawn away from the dancer as an arm loops into his own, guiding him toward the exit. He just barely looks back in time to see the golden robed omnic raising his hand in a silent goodbye.


	2. To The Highest Bidder

Since the first night at The Crimson Circuit, Genji has carried a secret. 

His friend all seemed to share the same opinion of the strip club after leaving it that night. The next morning his group chat was flooding with messages about how weird the experience had been. 

_ “Did you see that blue one’s dick? It didn’t even look real at all. It’s like they don’t even try while making those things.” _

_ “What did you expect? We should have just gone to a normal strip club.” _

_ “It was funny to watch them trying to be sexy though!” _

_ “I was even funnier seeing those perverts who actually enjoy that sort of thing. _

_ “Didn’t you think so, Genji?” _

_ “Genji, are you there? Did your family take your phone again?” _

_ “Shimada? Hellooooo?” _

Even when he reached out to Kyon the young man said he felt similarly about the club, despite being the one to suggest it in the first place. He said that he had been excited at the idea of trying something new but that watching the dancers had been more awkward than arousing to him. 

And so for a week now, Genji has been hiding his secret from these people he called his friends. He lied and told them that he was too tired to sneak out. He was sick. He was being watched closely by the elders. He would use any excuse that he could think of to not meet up with the people he calls his friends just so he could go back to The Crimson Circuit. He went through all of this trouble just so that he could see one dancer.

On his second night there he tried to watch other omnics. He slowly went from stage to stage, watching bits of acts as he maneuvered through the club but none of the dancers had the effect on him that the omnic from night one did. And so on the third night and every night after, he immediately took his seat in front of the sad omnic’s stage, eyes locked onto every graceful movement, only leaving occasionally to buy a drink and immediately return. He can not remember having ever spent so much money at a strip club before but something about this stranger made him willing to give him as much as possible. 

Tonight would be no different it seems. Genji finds himself staring in his bathroom mirror, actually putting some effort into styling his normally messy hair, slicking it back to look neat. In place of his usual ratty and revealing clothes, he wears black slacks, nice shoes, a black button-down with the sleeves rolled up, and a green tie around his neck. He wonders if he should feel silly, dressing up for for a stripper. In any other club that he had gone to, it did not matter what he wore or how he looked. The dancers would flirt with him regardless but the omnic he has his eyes on now has still, after a week, not spoken a word to him. 

Genji lets out a quiet sigh at the thought, staring at himself in the mirror. He could not help but think how unlike him this was. Genji has been in many relationships throughout his life. He knew he had a bad habit of taking an interest in someone, making them fall for him and leaving them. His brother called it arrogance. His friends called him a heartbreaker. But this felt different from all of those times. For once, Genji is the one pining after someone who seems so unobtainable, even for him.

“Brother,” Hanzo’s voice comes from behind Genji's bathroom door. The older brother waits for the door to open before coughing just slightly. “Do you think that you have enough cologne on?” he asks, waving a hand in front of his face to fan out the scent. 

“You don’t like it?” Genji asks with wide eyes, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling it up to sniff at it. “It’s not that strong, right?” At not receiving a reply he asks, “Do I look okay? I look good, right?” Never since Genji’s first year of secondary school has he asked Hanzo for his opinion on his appearance. 

“Do you have a date?” Hanzo asks, taken aback by his brother’s concern, “You look fine but is it not a little late?” He crosses his arms, frowning at his little brother. It was going on midnight already, and while Hanzo is used to his brother sneaking out late, the past few nights had been consistent. 

“Yeah, I have a date,” Genji lies easily, trying to step past his brother and frowning as the taller man moves to stay in front of him. “Han, come on,” he huffs out in exasperation. This would not be the first time his brother has tried to convince him to stay in. 

“You should schedule your dates for earlier in the day,” Hanzo says, lips pulled into a tight line, knowing very well that his little brother is lying to him. “You’ve been missing family meetings. The elders are starting to discuss your incompetence.” The older brother sighs out quietly, staring at Genji before stepping to the side to let him pass. “I know that I can not stop you, brother, but please consider taking your family’s business more seriously.”

Genji rolls his eyes at his brother chastising him. “Don’t worry about me,” he says stubbornly, pushing past Hanzo without a second glance. “You’ve been tired lately so just go to bed and mind your own business.” He freezes at having heard himself say such harsh words. He knows that his brother is just trying to look out for him. There is no reason for him to treat him so badly. He stops only a few feet away and then turns around, walking right up to his brother and wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug. “I’ll be back in the morning,” he says, speaking softer than before, “Try to get some sleep, brother.”

* * *

 

Genji has barely taken three steps into the club when he hears the commotion. The normally abandoned corner by the bar where Genji spent his nights watching his favorite dancer, is now crowded with people. He has to push his way through the crowd to even get close to the stage. When he finally breaks through the line of bodies, panic sets into him immediately. 

“We’ve got a bid for one hundred thousand yen! Anyone else? I’m sure we can go higher than that!” A silver and black omnic stands on stage with the familiar dancer, holding tight to the smaller robot's wrist. He wears a classic black suit with a red tie which matches both his glowing eyes and the seven lights that flicker on his forehead as he speaks. “He’s one of our best models! Any of you would be lucky to spend a night with him!” 

Genji feels an elbow push into his ribs as a bulky older man shoves past him. “How can you expect us to pay for something we can’t even get a good look at?” he shouts over the laughter of the crowd. 

The taller omnic on stage does not have to consider the question for a second. He holds tight to the dancer’s arm as his other hand comes up and yanks at the side of the golden omnic’s robe, pulling it off of his shoulders as the crowd howls in approval. 

Genji watches in helpless confusion as the dancer curls in on himself, trying to hide his body from those watching him as the bids go up. He does not make a move to pull his robe back up. The thin fabric just barely covers his lower body and hangs limply around his waist. 

“One hundred twenty thousand yen?” The suited bot calls out, waiting for a higher bid for only a moment. “Fine. One night with Zenyatta goes to the woman in-”

“I have two hundred fifty thousand!” Genji surprises even himself with the outburst as the room goes quiet. 

“He’s just a kid. He doesn’t have that kind of money,” an older woman says, stepping forward to claim her prize. Her hand reaches up and rests on the omnic’s thigh, causing a surge of anger to pass through Genji.

“I do!” The young man protests, stepping toward the stage quickly and pulling out his wallet. He knew it would be almost everything he had with him tonight but compared to his fortune, this was pocket change. “I have the money so just-” he embarrasses himself with a cracking voice and shaking hands as he holds the money up to the red-eyed omic. “So just let him go.”

The darker robot tilts his head at the offering, glancing between the old woman and the money before reaching out for it and taking the stack of yen. He offers a barely heard “Catch,” as he pushes the dancer from the stage.

Genji’s eyes widen at the omnic falling toward him. He expects to be crushed by the weight of heavy metal but when his arms come up and wrap around the dancer, he is surprised at how lightweight he is. “Are you okay?” he asks with concern, arms tight around the omnic’s frame as he helps to steady him. Without a second thought, he grabs both shoulders of the robe and helps to pull them back onto the omnic to clothe him once again. 

Genji’s eyes then move to the suited omnic still on the stage, who thumbs through the money, counting it out with not a care for either the customer or the dancer that he could have harmed.

After a moment, he pockets the money and his other hand moves to retrieve a key ring from his belt. “Here,” he says, pulling off a small golden key and handing it to the green haired man. “You’re in room four,” he says with no further explanation before his voice rings out over the crowd once again. “There are plenty of whores for the rest of you so what are you all standing here for?” 

Genji grimaces at the unfamiliar omnic’s words, fingers tightening around the golden key. His attention is then drawn to the dancer. He has watched the omnic dance for a week now and though he always had an air of melancholy to him, Genji has never seen him so low. 

The silver omnic’s neck is craned toward the ground, keeping his faceplate hidden from both Genji and any other clubgoer who wishes to see him. His arms are crossed over his stomach, holding onto himself.

Genji says nothing as he waits for the crowd to clear out. He keeps one arm wrapped around the dancer’s shoulders protectively, only pulling him closer as the old woman’s eyes linger. He stays silent until the woman finally leaves without a word. “Hey,” he says quietly, finally speaking up in a low voice so that only the omnic can hear him, “Take the key, okay? I’m going to go get something to drink. I’ll come find you.” As he says this, he pushes the key into the omnic’s hands.

Finally, the dancer looks up at him. His faceplate gives away no emotion, but the shoulders that seemed so tense before fall under Genji’s arm. He holds the key in the palm of his hand and he seems to hesitate before pulling away and walking toward the back of the club, not looking back for a second.

Genji lets out a quiet sigh at the situation, watching the omnic go. He remains still even after the dancer is gone from his sight, taking a moment to compose himself before heading toward the bar and taking a seat. 

“That was pretty impressive,” The familiar voice brings Genji from his daze as a bartender stops in front of him, setting his usual bottle of beer on the bar.

Genji has grown quite familiar with Lynx Seventeen in the past week, often stopping by to chat when he picked up drinks, only to return right back to his favorite omnic’s stage. The bartender is an omnic as well, with a silver and gold faceplate, three blue dots on their forehead, and two long antennae that reminded Genji a bit of a rabbit. They wear a white button down, long sleeve shirt and a black vest as their uniform. “You finally bought a night with Zenyatta, then?”

Genji is confused at that, suddenly remembering that the suited omnic had called the dancer by the same name. “His name is Zenyatta?” he asks dumbly.

The bartender lets out a puff of steam that strangely sounds like a laugh to Genji. “You didn’t even know his name?” they ask, electronic voice laced with amusement, “And here I thought that you liked him.”

“It’s not like that,” Genji denies, frowning and tilting his head down. He stares at his hands, picking at perfectly manicured nails as he tries to make sense of what just happened. “I just like to watch him dance.” 

He knew that purchasing the dancer for a night had always been an option. Over the course of the week, he watched as other omnics had been taken to the back by strangers only to return later in the evening, sometimes no worse for wear but other times walking with difficulty, their clothes disheveled, or even left with traces of foreign liquid drying on their bodies. Never once did he imagine doing something like that to his favorite dancer, though he always wondered if the omnic had been through that experience before. 

“I just gave that guy all of my money,” the young man tells Lynx, pushing the bottle of beer away from him, “I can’t afford that tonight.”

“As if you won’t come back tomorrow,” The omnic’s antennae twitch as they speak, perking up and moving toward Genji, “Pay me back then. You look like you need this.”

Genji hesitates, though he is sure that he can not argue with the bartender’s reasoning. After a moment he takes the bottle, downing it in less than a minute as the omnic stares in awe. 

“Something stronger,” Lynx says, nodding at the unspoken request, “Got it, I’ll keep a tab on you.” They turn their back to the green haired man and busy themself with fixing the customer a shot of something.

“Lynx?” Genji asks, waiting for the omnic to face him before continuing, “Why was Zenyatta being auctioned off like that? I’ve never seen that happen to anyone else here. Don’t the dancers usually handle that themselves?”

“Usually. Max isn’t happy with Zenyatta right now, though.”

“Max?” Genji asks, not waiting for any clarification, “Why is he mad? Isn’t Zenyatta doing a good job? He should be making plenty of money, right? I’ve been giving him a lot.”

“Slow down, lover boy,” the bunny-eared omnic says, setting two shot glasses down in front of him, “Drink up.” They laugh at how quickly Genji follows the suggestion. “You’re pretty new around here so there is a lot that you don’t know,” Lynx explains slowly, “That guy, Maximilien, he’s the club owner. He left for a business trip to Numbani a few days before you first turned up. Honestly, this whole place breathes a little easier when he’s gone.”

“But why is he mad at Zenyatta?”

The omnic shakes their head. “Like I said, You're new here. Zenyatta used to be a real hit in the Circuit, he danced on that big stage right in the center of the club," At this Lynx points over at the large stage, reserved for brief exibition preformances that occured every few hours. "He was The Crimson Circuit’s best- well, second best dancer,” they correct themself. “You see, Zenyatta had a close friend that he used to dance with. They had a duo act that was really popular and when they weren’t dancing together their stages were right next to each other.” 

Genji finds the whole thing hard to believe considering the state that Zenyatta has been in for the past week. Hardly anyone watched the omnic dance now, thinking him too sad to be entertaining the way that they wanted. Genji barely opens his mouth to ask what happened before Lynx is continuing. 

“About a month ago our number one, Zen’s partner, just goes missing. There are lots of rumors about what happened to him so I don’t know exactly. Some people said he was defective and got scrapped for parts. Some people said he was sold to a different club. I honestly think the guy ran away. I would too if Max was treating me the way he treats most of these dancers,” Lynx seems to turn their head, looking around the club for any sign of the mentioned omnic as they speak. “Since then, Zenny’s been a mess. Max knew it was going to hit him hard, but when he came back from his trip a couple of hours ago and saw Zen was still in a funk, he snapped.”

Genji hangs onto every word Lynx says, feeling both confusion and sadness for the omnic. He had been watching Zenyatta for the past week, not even knowing the suffering that the dancer had gone through. “What do I do?” he asks, helplessness soaking his every word.

“There isn’t anything you can do, kid,” Lynx says, voice taking on a softer tone, “He’s made for this. Honestly, it’d probably be easier for him if someone just wiped his memory chip and let him go back to what he's good at.”

Genji gapes at the omnic with the suggestion, feeling anger build in him at the comment. “How could you say that?” he asks, raising his voice just a bit in protest, “You're just like him, so why would you suggest-?”

“I'm going to stop you there,” they say with a metallic finger over Genji's lips. “I'm not like him. I was programmed to make drinks,” he says with a tilt of an ear-like antenna. “I get to go home at the end of the night. I get to go make memories outside of my job. Zenyatta is stuck here. He was literally built to do this. It would be less painful for him if he didn't remember his friend at all. Maybe he could be happy again.” The omnic lets out a slow stream of air, feeling a bit bad for the harsh words. “Look, he's going to have a sad life no matter what you do. You might as well go enjoy your money’s worth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two part two! I hope you guys enjoyed. Getting a little of Zen's background here.   
> Also! Welcome Lynx17 and Maximilien!   
> Please leave me a comment if you like the story so far!


	3. Built To Do This

 Genji never planned to go to the back of the Crimson Circuit. The rooms there are designated for clients that want more from the performers than to watch them dance. There are places like this in every club that Genji has been to. These sex rooms are used for prostitution by the dancers to make a little extra money. Despite Genji’s infatuation with Zenyatta, he would have never considered buying him like this. But he had been backed into a corner.

The only question that remains is what should he do with his purchased time with the omnic. Lynx, the bartender, seems to think that Zenyatta is made solely for this purpose. That it would be easier for both he and Zenyatta if Genji let the omnic do his job. In a way, perhaps that is true. Zenyatta could get this over with and get back to work or perhaps Maximilien would let him rest for the remainder of the evening. Genji would get to have his way with the object of his desires and his curiosity would be sated.

Though he is not sure that curiosity is the extent of his feelings toward the omnic. He thinks back on all of the nights that he has spent sitting in front of Zenyatta’s stage, watching with awe as the omnic danced and spun around the pole. Upon seeing him the first time, Genji knew that something was wrong. Perhaps his curiosity is what drew him in but he wanted more from the omnic than one night in a sex room could provide.

The green haired boy lets out a quiet sigh as he comes to a stop in front of room four. The sounds of grunts and moans from other clients can be heard from the other three sex room doors, causing the young man's nose to wrinkle in disgust.

Not thirty minutes ago, he told Zenyatta to come here and wait for him but now he wonders if this decision is the right one. After all, Zenyatta had seemed pretty shaken up after being practically auctioned off by the club owner. Perhaps it would be better to leave him alone for the night.

But on the other hand, surely it could not hurt for Genji to just check on the omnic.

His hand rests on the wooden door frame for a moment as he considers his options before finally knocking on the door. He wondered if the music from the club is too loud for Zenyatta to hear him and after waiting a bit longer, decides to try the doorknob.

The inside of the room is dim, only lit by a few colored lights that dangle from the rafters in the ceiling. His attention is first drawn to the large bed in the middle of the room and more importantly, to the omnic sitting on it. Zenyatta sits with his back to Genji, facing away from the door. His golden robe hangs off of his thin, metal shoulders.

Genji takes a step into the room, closing the door behind him. His attention is immediately drawn to the area next to the door and he takes a stumbling step back to get a better view of it. The wall is covered in hooks, each of which has a different sex toy hanging from it. Some items Genji is more than familiar with: dildos, butt plugs, anal beads, and vibrators. Others he had only see in porn: leashes and collars, cock rings and cages, handcuffs and ropes. Even more, Genji had never seen before and did not know the names of.

He then turns his head to his immediate left, noticing a slightly opened door adjacent to the one he had entered from. His hand grips the door handle before his senses can catch up to his curiosity. Behind the door is a small closet, full of costumes. He can not help but thumb through a few of them in slight amusement. He recognized some from cliche porn tropes: police officer uniforms, school girl skirts, dresses, and outfits made entirely of spandex or leather. For a moment he is too distracted by the contents of the closet and forgets about the reason that he came here. That is, until two thin robotic arms circle around his waist.

“What do you want me to wear?”

The unfamiliar voice has Genji jumping and tensing up in surprise. In a week, he never once heard the dancer speak. The voice is robotic but slow, flowing surprisingly well. Genji noticed that many omnics had a broken way of speaking, piecing together words from a bank in their database, but Zenyatta’s intonation is surprisingly human.

“I don’t-” Genji starts, stuttering over his words, “I don’t want you to wear anything.” He rests a hand on the omnic’s arm before turning in his grip to face him. His eyes widen in surprise as, before he can correct himself, the golden robe slides from Zenyatta’s body and pools around his feet on the ground.

“That’s not what I meant!” Genji gets out, turning his head away from the omnic and trying to give him privacy to redress, though the dancer makes no move to do so. “You can put it back on.”

“Why?” The omnic’s voice comes out quiet. He takes a step closer to Genji, crowding into his space. One metallic hand rests on his shoulder while the other moves to card through the green hair at the nape of his neck. “You spent so much money on me. Surely you have something in mind for tonight. I can tell that you are interested in me. You have been watching my performances for a while now.”

“It’s not-” Genji fumbles over his words, reaching up and curling his fingers around the omnic’s thin wrist. “It isn’t like that.” Genji is unsure if he is trying to convince the omnic or himself. After all, it seems as though it would be all too easy to go with this. The cool metal on the back of Genji’s neck beckons him closer and Lynx’s words echo through his mind.

_He was literally built to do this._

“You seemed scared,” Genji blurts out, taking a big step away from the omnic, prying himself from the other's grasp. He keeps his head turned to the side, not wanting to see the dancer's exposed body in a situation like this. “When that guy in the suit had a hold of you. When he was auctioning you off. I didn’t want to see you scared. You look so sad all of the time. I just wanted to help.”

The omnic tilts his head, seeming to have a hard time understanding. Genji wonders if the robot had ever been shown kindness before or if he really believed that the only thing another person could want from him is sex. After a few moments of silence, Zenyatta leans down to pick his robe off of the floor and pull it back onto his shoulders. “I see,” he says slowly before simply staring up at Genji again. “Thank you for your help. But I assure you, it is not needed.” With that, the omnic turns his back, walking back toward the bed to sit down.

“Your name’s Zenyatta, right?” Genji asks, finally speaking up again as the dancer settles down. He takes a step closer, unsure if he should leave the omnic alone to rest or stay to keep him company.

“It is,” Zenyatta, says, turning his faceplate toward the stranger again. Despite the sound coming from him, his lips do not move and Genji wonders for the briefest moment where the speaker that emits his voice is located. “You can sit down,” he offers, with a hand patting the space on the bed next to him, as if he had read the young man’s mind.

Genji makes his way over to the omnic slowly, sitting down with a couple of feet of space between them. “My name’s Genji,” he says finally, staring down at his hands rather than meeting the omnic’s gaze. “I’m sorry if-” he begins but cannot seem to find the words. “If I was creeping you out? By watching you every night, I guess.”

“Do not be sorry,” the dancer replies, turning his body to face Genji as the other man stutters and stumbles over his words. “I did think it odd. But you were a customer and I was doing my job.”

_He was literally built to do this._

The words keep echoing in the young man’s head, reminding him that he is nothing more than a customer to this omnic. Viewing the robot’s performances every night was not strange considering the type of place that they were in. But still, to Genji, it felt as though there was something more between them than just a customer and client.

The silence hangs over the room for a moment before Genji finally turns his head to look at the dancer. Watching Zenyatta from afar was nothing compared to being able to see him up close like this. Even with the dim, colored lighting in the room, Genji’s eyes trace every crease and marking on the omnic’s faceplate.

“I heard that your friend is gone,” Genji says finally, not sure what he hoped to accomplish by bringing up the issue, though he thought that if somehow he could understand, he could help Zenyatta. “Lynx… At the bar, they told me that something happened to him and that you’ve been sad since.”

Zenyatta turns his head away, not wanting to face the young man talking about this so casually. What gave this stranger the right to bring up something this painful to him?

“Mondatta,” the omnic finally says quietly, avoiding Genji’s gaze. “He is my brother.” While this was not technically true, the older omnic had always treated Zenyatta carefully, taken care of him, and the two became much closer than any other dancers in the strip club. “A rich man came along and took an interest in him. Maximilien sold him for a lot of money.”

Genji is not sure how to respond, saddened to hear the news of what had actually happened to Zenyatta’s partner. “I’m-” he stutters over his words, not sure what he should have expected. He realizes now that there is not much that could be done for the omnic. He had no way of relating, no way to make things better, and no words of comfort to offer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” he finally responds before hesitantly reaching out, ready to rest a pale hand on the omnic’s shoulder.

“You did not know. Now...Please leave.”

The words feel like daggers in Genji’s chest. His gut twists in guilt at the realization that he has caused the other to become upset. His hand slowly falls from the air as he scrambles for something to say. He stays still and silent for a moment before opening his mouth to respond, but no words come out. “Okay,” he whispers, defeated and helpless as to what else he could do.

He wants to apologize. He wants to kneel before Zenyatta and ask the omnic to forgive him for bringing up the subject. He wants to ask to stay so that he could get to know the beautiful dancer better. But the shame clouding his head does not even allow him to look back at the grieving dancer as he leaves the room.

“Done with him already?”

A mechanical voice meets Genji as soon as he closes the door to the sex room. He turns on his heels, greeted with a silver plated omnic wearing a dark suit. Maximilien.

“You paid several times over what most guests would, to think that you’d be done so soon is a bit difficult to believe.” The omnic was not one to send off his customers unsatisfied, especially not ones who seemed to have more money than sense. “If Zenyatta is not to your liking, we can find another for you. You have that room until well after sunrise if you want it.”

Genji frowns over at the club owner, remembering how he had practically thrown Zenyatta from his stage with no regard to the omnic’s well being. It is clear that he thinks that his performers are replaceable regardless of their task. “That’s not it,” the green haired boy says, speaking up and moving a bit closer to the tall omnic. “If I have that room, I want you to let Zenyatta rest there until the morning.”

Maximilien says nothing as Genji approaches him. “In the meantime,” Genji begins again, unsure if what he is about to request is even possible. “I have a favor to ask you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being patient with me! My job and school have been getting pretty hectic so writing has been a bit hard lately.   
> Please let me know what you think of this chapter!


	4. Duo

“Genji?” Lynx’s voice brings him from his thoughts, snapping his attention from Zenyatta’s empty stage back to the bar. “Are you really going to keep staring over there? Is it just a habit for you now?”

The green haired boy glances back toward the empty stage again despite the bartending omnic's teasing. “Where is he?” he asks with a hard frown.

After Genji got the chance to meet Zenyatta one on one, he felt too ashamed of himself to approach the omnic again. So for two weeks now, he has continued to go to the club but kept his distance from his favorite dancer. Instead he spends his time at the bar, chatting with Lynx or with other customers while still keeping an eye on Zenyatta from a distance. 

But Genji has been at the Crimson Circuit's bar for two hours tonight and no trace of Zenyatta has been seen.

“Hey!” Lynx says, waving a hand in front of the customer’s face, “If you have a question for me, you can at least look at me. Don't be rude,” The bunny-eared omnic puts their hands on their hips, waiting for Genji to turn toward them and give them his full attention, before shrugging their shoulders. “I don’t know where he is.”

The young man scoffs at the news, unsure of what he expected to hear from the bartender. “Don’t you have other customers to annoy?” he asks with an eye roll before looking over to the empty stage again only for Lynx to grab him by the ear and pull his head to face him again.

“But!” Lynx continues, “When the dancers were setting up before opening, Max came and got Zenyatta and took him to the back. I haven’t seen him since.”

“And you aren’t telling me this until _now_?” Genji asks, eyes narrowing into a glare as he pushes the omnic's hand from his face and stands from the bar. 

“What would you have done if I told you sooner? Were you going to go after him? Genji, sit down,” Lynx pleads, letting out a sigh of defeat and shaking their head as the young man storms away toward the back of the club.

Genji does not understand what sort of game Maximillien is playing. The young Yakuza heir has been paying the club owner  _ nightly  _ to make sure that Zenyatta is kept safe and not sold to other customers like he had been on that night two weeks ago. If the business omnic had broken his side of the deal, then Genji would make sure he regrets it. 

He had been just about to take a step into the hall leading to the back when a large hand wraps around one of his wrists. 

“Woah, where are you going off to in such a hurry, pretty thing?”

Genji scowls up at the man holding him in place. The stranger stands about a foot taller than him, with dark hair that is buzzed down short and a strong jaw, with a slightly pointy nose. He is well built, with broad shoulders and strong arms and in any other moment, Genji may have found himself melting under the praise. 

“I’m sorry,” he says quickly, barely giving the older man a second thought as he pulls his arm away, “I’m busy.”

He is only able to take one more step toward the back before a strong arm is wrapping around his middle. “Oh, are you now? Maybe you should clear your schedule. You’re just my type, you know that?”

Genji’s nose wrinkles, feeling the other man’s breath hot on his neck and smelling the stench of alcohol. The other man’s body presses up against his back and Genji can swear that he feels something hard and uncomfortable at the front of the man’s pants, pressing into his lower back. 

“Let go of me,” he demands, trying to pry the muscular arm from around him. He did not want to make a scene, not in a place like this. What if he gets kicked out for bad behavior if he tries to fight this man? Then who would be able to save Zenyatta from whatever fate Max has given him? 

“Okay, okay. But you’ve gotta ask nicely, okay?” 

Despite the other’s words, Genji can feel a warm, slightly damp hand making it’s way up his shirt, rubbing against his toned stomach in a way that makes Genji shiver and his gut twist. “Will you let me go?” he asks, trying to squirm away from the touches, “Please, let me go.” 

The older man only laughs at the request, moving his hand further up Genji’s shirt to grab onto a pierced nipple, pulling on it and earning him a jolt from his captive. “Wow, your begging is so hot. I wonder where else you have piercings?” he asks with a grin, already moving a hand down to grab the front of Genji’s jeans. 

The music of the club pumps loudly in Genji’s ears, only fueling his adrenaline. He shuts his eyes tight and digs his nails hard into the other man’s arm, pulling a yell of pain from him. As soon as the other man’s grip loosens, Genji takes a big step away, breathing heavily in panic as he turns to face the offending man, ready to strike if necessary. 

Being a son of Sojiro Shimada, Genji has been trained to fight. His expertise is with a sword, but he had his brother practice hand to hand combat regularly. There is no doubt that he could make this man regret his actions.

“You stupid little bitch,” the man curses out, rubbing the four semi-circle cuts on his arm before raising it as if he were about to strike the young man. 

“There you are.” Before Genji can retaliate, a metallic arm wraps around Genji’s shoulders, bringing both men to a halt. “I have been looking for you, my friend,” the omnic lies easily, guiding Genji away from both the older man and from the back of the club. Genji wants to protest the direction but keeps his mouth shut, grateful for the omnic that intervened, stopping him from causing more of a scene.

Genji turns his head to look at his savior, confused to find that he had been whisked away by a complete stranger. The omnic is a bit taller than he is, with rather plain features. His faceplate is a slightly elongated, made of white and gold. On the forehead of the plate are a series of dots, much like many other omnics in the club, though his stranger has nine of them that form a diamond and glow a soft blue. He is dressed in a white robe that only has one sleeve, bearing half of his metal chest to the world.

“You should be more careful,” the omnic suggests, moving the hand that had been on Genji’s shoulder down to his arm and looping it around the young man’s. “Are you not too young to be in a place such as this?”

Genji puffs out his cheeks a bit at the question, feeling a bit childish for having another person take care of him like this. “I’m old enough,” he responds defensively, “And I could have handled that myself.”

“Oh, I am sure that you could have,” the omnic agrees with a nod. “But that does not mean that you had to.”

Genji frowns, looking ahead to where the omnic leads him. The two walk to the front of the club, where a big stage sits apart from the rest, complete with a red backdrop curtain and eight poles running from the wooden stage up to the ceiling. Genji knows that this stage is only utilized for special events and nightly, choreographed performances. Genji has been here for many of them, though he tends to stay in the corner of the club to watch Zenyatta rather than the main show. 

He has no interest in watching one now either, especially with his favorite dancer mysteriously missing. “I have somewhere to be,” he says, glancing up at the taller omnic with a frown. He is unsure if this man is a dancer or server or simply another customer. 

“I am sure that you do,” The omnic says with a quiet laugh. He guides Genji right up to the front of the stage and pushes him gently to sit him down in an armchair, front and center. “But I would like for you to watch this performance first. I am sure that you will find it entertaining, Genji.”

The green haired man sits up straight at the mention of his name. His eyebrows knit together in confusion as he watches the stranger walk back in the direction that he came. How did this omnic know his name? And what did he mean in saying that Genji would like this performance? The young man has no time to waste. He wants to march to the back and find Maximillien and demand to know what had happened to Zenyatta but at the same time, the curiosity keeps him in place.

Within a couple of minutes, his curiosity is sated as Maximillien walks through the curtain on stage. Genji stands up, glaring up at the club owner and ready to confront him. The silver and black omnic holds up a hand to silence him before addressing the crowd around the stage. His voice is projected through the speakers overhead. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Crimson Circuit!” He remains calm on stage, outstretching his arms as he greets the cheering crowd. “We have a special treat for you tonight!” he calls out, “Thanks to a  _ generous  _ donor, we at the Crimson Circuit are able to bring back an old crowd favorite for all of you here today. One of the best duos that Hanamura has ever seen. Please welcome to the stage, Zenyatta and Mondatta!”

Everything snaps into place for him the second he sees the two omnics appear from behind the red curtain. There stands Zenyatta, as beautiful and regal as ever, holding the hands with a familiar tall, white and gold omnic, with nine blue dots on his forehead. He feels relief wash over him at the sight of the two and lowers himself back down into his seat. 

Maximillien has done it. 

Genji can barely hear the music begin to play over the roaring of the crowd. It seems Lynx had not been kidding in saying how popular Mondatta was. But the realization hits him now that they are not just cheering for the returning omnic but for Zenyatta as well. 

Genji watches in awe as the familiar omnic practically glides up to one of the poles just left of center stage as Mondatta takes his place on the one to the right of that. The two move in perfect synchronization, hooking their legs around the poles and spinning in a quick circle before immediately dropping down. 

Genji cannot believe how much more sure of himself the shorter omnic seems to be when on stage with his brother. For almost a month now, Zenyatta has seemed very hesitant about his movements, walking and spinning slowly and carefully around the pole. The confidence that he possesses now makes the entire act far sexier. 

Minutes pass like this, with Genji staring with an open mouth up at this dancer who seems as though he is an entirely different person than before. The omnic is dressed in a black robe, nearly identical to his brothers, draping off of one shoulder and covering the other. 

Zenyatta spins from the pole, down onto the ground, then turns toward Mondatta, who has come to a halt at center stage. Genji watches as his favorite dancer  _ crawls  _ toward the other omnic, dragging his legs behind him sensually. He moves up onto his knees, metal hands running up both of Mondatta’s thighs before grabbing at the front of his sash, delicate fingers toying with the white fabric teasingly as Zenyatta tilts his head all the way back to stare up at his brother.

Genji shoves his hands into his pockets, embarrassed to be getting turned on by the choreographed dance between these two omnics. The action seems far too personal, perhaps because the dancers were just this comfortable with each other. But Genji cannot help the jealousy welling within him. He wants Zenyatta to be at his feet like this. 

The music hits a lull for a moment before the next song starts. Immediately, Mondatta all but slaps Zenyatta’s hands away from him and takes the smaller omnic by the chin, guiding him to stand and face the audience. His hands them come up, grabbing at Zenyatta’s hips as the both of them move in time with the music. He reaches down, resting a hand on the golden omnic’s knee and dragging his hand up his thigh, slowly bringing the black fabric up with it, exposing higher up on Zenyatta’s thigh than Genji had ever seen.

Mondatta’s hands move to the younger man’s chest, dipping beneath his robe and tracing against the silver metal there before tugging the robe from his shoulders entirely and letting it hang down from his waist. 

It is then that the golden-crowned omnic walks forward before stepping down the steps that lead off of the center of the stage and to the audience. 

Genji’s face goes hot as Zenyatta descends. He cannot even hear the music anymore over the sound of his own heart beating in his ears. It seems as though a million hands reach for the dancer omnic as he struts off stage but Zenyatta ignores them all, walking right up to the green haired young man sitting up front.

The omnic stops just in front of Genji for only a moment. He tilts his head to the side before stepping closer and immediately turning around, sitting on Genji’s lap as though it were a chair, making Genji’s mouth go dry. He moves his hips to the beat of the music, leaning forward and bending over, rubbing his ass against the hardness in Genji’s pants. 

The people all around laugh and cheer on the omnic, though Genji is so trapped and stunned by the action that he does not move. After a moment, the omnic slides from his lap, onto his hands and knees on the floor. He arches his back and looks back at his younger customer, giving him just the slightest peak of the black panties that are under his robe.

He rolls over then and sits up, moving onto his knees at Genji’s feet. He waits for a response for a moment before moving a hand between Genji’s knees and forcing them apart so that he can move between them. He presses his cheek to the inside of the young man’s thigh while running his hand up the other. 

It was difficult to tell what Zenyatta was thinking or what brought about him acting like this. The omnic’s faceplate is unchanging, giving nothing away as he runs a hand up dangerously close to Genji’s clothed erection before standing up completely.

He rests an arm on the back of Genji’s chair before moving to straddle the young man’s lap, facing him this time. His hips moving slowly now, despite the quick tempo of the music and he leans in close, pressing his cool, metal forehead to Genji’s sweaty one. 

“I told Maximillien that you are buying me for tonight,” he says slowly, though Genji barely hears it over the roaring crowd, pumping music, and his own adrenaline. “I’ll be waiting for you, Genji.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Isn't this the reason people read stripper Aus?   
> I hope you guys are still reading this :o Lmk if you're there, please.


	5. Work and Play

Genji’s ears are still ringing from excitement as he makes his way to the back of the club. His mind is racing, trying to process what just happened. 

It is clear that Maximilien has fulfilled his promise in buying Mondatta back from his previous owner. The more popular omnic’s return seemed to have a great effect on Zenyatta, who took center stage with his brother tonight and danced as if the past month or so of sadness did not exist. And then, to top it all off, danced specifically for Genji as if the two of them were alone.

And now Genji is headed to the back of the club upon the omnic’s request. He turns the corner into the dimly lit hallway, surprised to see both Maximilien and Mondatta standing outside of room number four, staring Genji down as he hesitantly approaches them.

“I hope you are happy,” the club owner speaks up, crossing his arms over his chest and glancing between Mondatta and the young customer.

Genji nods quickly, looking at the unfamiliar omnic with wide eyes before turning his attention back to Maximilien. “I am,” he says confidently, already pulling out his wallet and handing a stack of money to the businessman in exchange for the golden room key. “I already paid you half of Mondotta's bill upfront. I’ll get the rest for you tomorrow,” he explains, “That money is for-”

“For my brother’s company?” Mondatta guesses, speaking up and stepping forward to rest a hand on Genji’s shoulder. “Maximilien, will you please give this man and I a moment to talk?”

The silver and black omnic does not look as though he could care less, busying himself with counting out his money as he makes his way down the hall and back to the club's performance area.

Genji tenses up just slightly under the heavy hand coming down on his shoulder and for a moment he wonders if this situation might be uncomfortable for Mondatta. After all, this omnic calls Zenyatta his brother and Genji can only imagine how strange to him it must be for him to buy a night with the golden-crowned dancer. Or perhaps it is not odd at all, given that the two have been working alongside each other for so long.

“Maximilien has filled me in,” Mondatta begins with a soft hum, “It is to my understanding that you have taken an interest in my dear brother. Is that correct?” He waits for a moment for Genji to nod quickly before continuing on. “And I heard that you have been paying a large amount of money so that Zenyatta does not have to strain himself with… Messier work.” 

The way that Mondatta says the last words gives something away to the young man. While the omnic’s voice is even and robotic, he pauses as if searching his database for a more acceptable term for the prostitution of his younger brother. “I just-” Genji starts, fumbling over his words as he is unable to look the omnic in the face, “I didn’t want him to have to do something like that. He seemed like he didn’t want to-”

“And can you blame him?” 

The question throws Genji for a loop and his dark eyes finally lock onto Mondatta. “No,” he says, as if in a daze, “I can’t.” It is the first time since visiting the Crimson Circuit that any of the omnics showed an ounce of resentment toward their positions. Maximilien, Lynx, the other dancers, and even Zenyatta all seem to believe that they are bound by their programming. What made this omnic think differently?

“Genji, I appreciate that you have looked after my brother in my absence,” Mondatta begins again, his voice getting lower as he leans closer to the young man. “And I am grateful that you have helped me return so that I can continue to do so.” The omnic goes quiet for a moment. “And I am sure my brother is as well… but I will not allow you to take advantage of his gratitude. He is seeing you tonight because he  _ wants  _ to. Do you know how many times he has requested a night with a customer?”

Genji’s mouth goes dry at the question, hoping that he is not one out of many.

“He has never. And yet, he chose  _ you.  _ Not because he holds fondness toward you but because he is  _ grateful.”  _ The white and gold omnic goes silent again, waiting for his words to sink in with Genji. “Do not take advantage of that,” he warns, with a final squeeze onto Genji’s shoulder before dropping his hand to his side and walking back down the hall.

Genji is left in a daze as the hallway clears, trying to process everything Mondatta has told him. The fact that Zenyatta had never requested a night with one of his customers before makes Genji’s heart soar but Mondatta’s insistence that his brother is only doing so out of appreciation confuses the young man’s emotions. 

He decides that he needs to hear from Zenyatta himself and wastes no time in unlocking the sex room and hurrying inside. 

The place looks different from last time. It is definitely a lot cleaner. The bed is made neatly with clean white sheets tucked under each edge of the mattress. The floor has been swept and cleared and the lights are down low. Zenyatta stands in the middle of the room, wearing a black robe that reaches down to just below his knees and he has a sash keeping it closed in the front. He is frozen in place as if he had been caught pacing. 

“Hi,” Genji says dumbly after a long moment of silence. He stands still before turning to lock the door and hesitantly taking a few steps into the room.

“Genji,” The omnic says as soon as the other man nears him. He seems to be at a loss for words, glass eyes locked onto his customer. All at once, he steps forward quickly, taking the man by surprise and wrapping two thin metal arms around Genji’s shoulders to pull him into a hug. 

Genji's body tenses up at the unfamiliar action and for a moment he tries to remember the last time someone hugged him like this. It takes him only a few seconds to relax his shoulders and wrap his arms around the omnic’s waist to hug him back. 

“I know it was you who brought him back,” a mechanical voice buzzes out against Genji’s shoulder. “I cannot thank you enough.” 

At the next words, Genji’s spirits fall ever so slightly. Of course the omnic’s only intention is to thank him. He lets his arms fall to his side and takes a small step back from the other’s loosening hold. “Don’t thank me,” he says, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. Even with the realization, it is hard for him not to be happy for the omnic.

“I do not understand. Why did you do it? And how?”

“I just… Gave Max the money to buy him back. He said he’d see what he could do,” Genji says slowly, though he did not know  _ why  _ he did what he did. “And I just… Felt bad. I wanted you to be happy.”  _ But why? _

If Zenyatta has the same question, he does not voice it. Instead, he stares up at the other man before nodding slowly. “Thank you,” he says again, “I was very rude to you before. And I am ashamed for the way that I acted. There was no excuse for how I treated you. I am sorry.” He steps toward Genji again and reaches up to rest a cold, smooth hand on Genji’s cheek. “Please, let me make it up to you.”

Though Genji wants to melt into the touch and give into letting Zenyatta do whatever he wants, as soon as another hand makes its way to the tie around Genji's neck he finds himself stepping backward again. “You don’t have to do that,” he says, though it comes out quicker and more surprised than he imagined, taking the omnic off guard. 

“What do you mean?” The silver and golden omnic asks, tilting his head to the side, causing his earrings to sway with the motion. “Genji, there is no need to be nervous,” he encourages with another step forward. “Is this your first time? I promise that I will be careful with you.”

“It’s not that,” the man says insistently, resting both hands on Zenyatta’s shoulders to keep him at bay. “It’s just-... I don’t want you to feel like you have to do this,” he begins, “And I don’t want you to do this because you feel like you owe me. You don’t. I helped you because I wanted to, not because I wanted to have sex with you!” Genji realizes only a moment too late that he had been raising his voice at the omnic. 

The room falls into a near silence, with only the sound of the distant music blaring just outside of their room. “I’m sorry,” Genji says slowly. “I don’t mean that I don’t want to have sex with you. I do. I  _ really  _ do, but that's not all there is to it.” He feels like a child confessing to his first crush. “I don’t want you to think that’s why I did what I did. And I don’t want you or your brother thinking that I was only doing that to get you to be with me.” The words stream from his mouth, hardly filtered by his brain. He  _needs_ Zenyatta to understand.

Zenyatta stays quiet as he listens to the other man pour his heart out and is attentive to the mention of his brother. “Mondatta spoke with you?” he asks, taking Genji off guard. It is clear that the younger man had not meant to bring up the other omnic and for a moment, Genji feels like he has done something wrong. “Genji,” the omnic begins again, his programmed voice calm and soothing, “Come sit down with me, won’t you?” he asks, taking the green-haired boy’s hand in his own and leading him to the bed.

Genji knows they’ve been here before, sitting side by side on the worn out mattress. Though this time, it feels as though the tense distance between them has disappeared. Zenyatta does not let go of the other man’s hand as they sit down.

“What did my brother say to you?”

The green haired boy does not meet Zenyatta’s eyes. Mondatta seemed nice and it was clear that he was only doing what he thought best for Zenyatta. Genji does not want to come between the two brothers. 

At the young man’s silence, Zenyatta lets out a slow stream of air, reminiscent of a sigh. “Mondatta has always been very protective of me,” the omnic says, “He always keeps an eye out for me while we are working. He is quick to reprimand our customers when they get too… handsy... with me… I remember one time, a little over a year ago, this man came into the Crimson Circuit. He was one of the biggest men I have ever seen. He had too much to drink and was getting violent with the dancers… With me.”

“He had a hold of me Genji,” Zenyatta says, moving a slender hand to the back of the human’s neck and squeezing just slightly, “Just like this. He wouldn’t take no for an answer… And of course, Maximilien was perfectly happy with it as long as the man’s money was good. But my brother stepped in. He asked the man, ‘wouldn’t you like me instead?’” The omnic goes silent. “Mondatta has always put me first, Genji,” he continues on finally, “He does not want to see me taken advantage of.”

“I wouldn’t ever-”

“I know.” The omnic’s fingers tighten just slightly on the back of the other man’s neck, sending a pleasant shiver down his spine. “And that is why I want you here,” he says, turning to face the man and moving onto his knees to straddle Genji’s lap. “I can tell you are not like most people. You are not like that man or like Maximilien or like the other people in The Crimson Circuit. I want this, Genji... but if you say the word I will go ask my owner for your money back and you can leave.”

That’s definitely not what he wants.

Genji can hear his heart beating in his ears. He takes a slow breath to steady himself before resting both hands on Zenyatta’s thin hips, feeling the curves and rivets of the metal body beneath his robe. “I want this too,” he says, voice dry and quiet. He only wishes that he could read Zenyatta’s mind. “Will it feel good for you?” he asks, not sure how the robot could feel anything at all with his synthetic body. 

“If you make it feel good.” Genji swears that the omnic’s tone is teasing as a metal hand takes his flesh one. He leads it to his cold metallic thigh, brushing just underneath the dancer’s silk robe. “You have not been with an omnic before, then?” he asks softly.

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “I mean, I’ve been with girls… and with boys but just not with-”

“A sex droid?” Zenyatta finishes, a mechanical laugh drumming softly against his speakers. “I will make sure to give you a proper lesson then,” he teases softly. 

Genji’s face heats up a bit at the laughter and for the first time in a long time,  _ he  _ is the inexperienced one. He tilts his head back to look up at the omnic’s faceplate, running his fingers idly moving up and down a length of metal on the omnic’s thigh.

“Many omnics do not have any way of sensing pleasure. They are made for only one purpose: to bring you your mail, or answer phones, or cook. Sex workers like me and all the others here are a bit more… complex.” As he says this, his hands play at the nape of Genji’s neck, carding through his hair and coercing him into relaxation. “We have two modes that we can switch back and forth between: Work and Play. In work mode, we can not feel anything at all. It makes it easier for us to dance for long periods of time without getting tired. In play mode,” he shifts in Genji’s lap, moving forward just slightly to press his pelvis against the front of his customer’s dress pants, “millions of sensors within our bodies are activated, allowing us to feel, be it pain or pleasure.”

Genji’s eyes widen as the other man shifts in his lap, feeling his dick getting harder with the movement. “What mode are you in now?” he asks, tightening his fingers on the omnic’s hip, almost afraid of the answer.

Zenyatta lets out another smooth laugh and leans in to press his forehead to Genji’s. “Usually I stay in work mode all night,” he explains, “Unless I have a private customer that wants a more  _ authentic  _ experience.” He stays quiet for a moment, grinding his hips down against Genji’s clothed erection. “Genji, I turned on play mode as soon as I saw you in the audience tonight,” he admits with a low hum, “and your fingers feel amazing right now.”

Genji’s eyes widen at the comment, having not realized how the light touches rubbing against the omnic’s thigh were affecting him. “They do?” he asks quietly, running his hand up the omnic’s leg just a bit higher and pressing his fingers down more. “How can I make you feel good?” he asks, eager to please the dancer. 

“Oh,” Zenyatta chokes on a moan, squeezing onto Genji’s shoulder for a moment before his thin mechanical fingers expertly begin to undo Genji’s tie and then work down the buttons of his shirt. “Anything you do will make me feel good,” he says, arching his back and slowly rolling his hips down against Genji’s clothed member. Slender metallic fingers push the green button-down off of Genji’s shoulders and then slowly drag against the man’s pale chest.

Genji shivers at the contact, not use to the cold but delicate touches. It is so different from anything he has experienced before and the newness of it all only excites him more. “Can I-?” His hand lingers at the opening in Zenyatta’s robe and he does not even need to finish asking before the omnic is pulling the thin fabric from his shoulders and dropping it off of the side of the bed.

Genji cannot stop his eyes front trailing down Zenyatta’s body, trying to memorize every smooth surface, every wire and bolt. His eyes eventually fall down to the omnic’s pelvis, where they stay locked by curiosity, though he can not get a good view from their present position.

“Do you want to see, Genji?” The dancer asks, voice calm and tempting. “You must be curious, isn’t that right?” He does not wait for the green-haired boy to respond before slowly moving out of Genji’s lap. He crawls to the head of the mattress and lays on his back with his legs bent at the knees, spreading them open to present himself to the young man. “If you do not like what you see, I can alter myself for you. I have different… parts that I can attach if you are looking for something else.”

Genji lets his shirt drop to the floor next to the omnic’s robe and then turns to face Zenyatta, eyes drawn to the slick blue opening between his legs. He is so focused on the sight before him that he barely registers the question. “What?” he asks, taking a moment to process the robotic voice. “No, I don’t want you to change a bit,” he says with the slightest laugh, slowly scooting between Zenyatta’s legs and resting one hand on his knee while the other slowly moves between the omnic’s legs. 

He hesitates for a moment before slowly running his finger between the synthetic folds, coating the digit in blue slick before slowly pushing it inside and grinning at the way the omnic arches his back and moans with the touch. “You’re so beautiful, Zenyatta.” He does not know if he will regret not stopping there. “I’ve always thought you were so beautiful. I don’t want anyone else to touch you anymore,” he says, easily adding a second finger into the artificial but surprisingly warm body beneath him. 

He leans forward, pressing his lips to the smoothness of Zenyatta’s chest plate. “I’ll do everything I can to make you happy. I don’t want for you to be in a place like this.” He remembers when he first laid eyes on the omnic, how sad and lifeless the dancer seemed compared to the others in the club. It was clear Zenyatta did not have the same affinity for this line of work that the others did.

“I like you.” The admission takes him by surprise. He had not planned to reveal his feelings to this omnic and instead had hoped that they would eventually disappear. But with those words out in the open, he realizes how true they are. He needs Zenyatta to know. “I like you so much, Zenyatta. I really do. I think I love you.”

He does not realize that the omnic’s moans have stopped until after he’s finished his confession. When he looks back up to Zenyatta’s faceplate, it is unreadable and silent, filling the human’s gut with dread. 

“Genji,” the omnic’s voice finally comes through, albeit quietly. A hand reaches up to rest on Genji’s cheek and guide him to sit up and meet the dancer face to face. Thin legs wrap around Genji's hips and lock their ankles together to pull the young man close. “Show me then,” he utters, though the words come out slow and far more hesitant than normal as if he struggles with how to respond. “I want you to make love to me, Genji.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Genji seems to be set on being in love with Zenyatta :o  
> Who can say if Zenyatta feels the same?   
> Thank yall for reading! It'd mean the world to me if you leave me a review!


	6. Mondatta

Almost a month has passed since Mondatta’s return to the Crimson Circuit and it is difficult to not notice a change in his brother.

Zenyatta has spent almost every night over the past few weeks with only one customer, a green haired boy named Genji, who seems to have more money than sense. Most nights, Genji arrives just as the club opens and stays until the early hours of the morning, keeping Zenyatta to himself for the entirety of the evening. 

Admittedly, the boy does not seem like a bad person. Afterall, it is because of his interest in Zenyatta’s wellbeing that Mondatta was able to be re-purchased from his recent buyer. And Mondatta does not remember the last time he saw Zenyatta so happy.

“You are going to blind someone, brother.” 

The smaller omnic seems to barely register his brother’s words, not turning his head away from the task at hand. They are in the middle of the omnic’s changing room and with the doors about to open, the dancers are rushing to ready themselves for the evening, picking out their costumes and lingerie for the night and cleaning themselves. Zenyatta sits in a chair in front of one of the well-lit mirrors, leaning forward as he uses a cloth and cream to polish the golden metal of his crown. His outfit of choice for the evening is a tiny black thong with a matching delicate, intricate, and lacy babydoll that is just see-through enough to give a good view of what is beneath.

“Hm?” Zenyatta finally hums his response, turning his attention from the mirror. “What ever do you mean, brother?” he asks, clearly having not understood the jest. “I would never do that to someone.”

“Not intentionally,” Mondatta responds, as quick-witted as ever. He reaches out, snatching the shining cloth from his brother’s hand. “I’ve been watching you ‘tidy up’ for hours. Surely your friend does not mind a few spots.” His chastising is light-hearted but tells of the concern he has for Zenyatta.

“Genji does not care if I have spots.” The golden-crowned omnic’s response is quick and defensive as if he believed his brother to be attacking Genji’s character. “I want to look my best for him tonight,” he explains.

“You always want to look your best for him,” Mondatta replies, moving to sit in the chair next to the other dancer. He decides to humor the other though and asks, “What is so special about tonight?”

Zenyatta shifts in his seat, hesitant to respond, but one look between the other omnic’s legs at the slight bulge at the front of his black panties tells Mondatta all he needs to know. It was odd for Zenyatta to go out of his way to stray from his usual role. The omnic certainly seems happier and more confident than Mondatta remembered him.

“You really are trying to please this child.”

“He isn’t a child, brother,” Zenyatta says stubbornly, taking the shining cloth back from Mondatta with both hands. He folds it neatly, staying silent as he does so. Finally, when he sets the cloth back down, he speaks up, turning in his seat to face the taller omnic. “He is in love with me.”

Mondatta’s faceplate shows no emotion but he can not deny that the sudden declaration takes him by surprise. “What do you mean?” he asks as if the words could be interpreted any other way. He knew that the green-haired man had taken an interest in Zenyatta, but for him to fall in love with an omnic seems a bit of a stretch.

“He told me he loves me,” Zenyatta explains, slower this time. “He told me the first night that you came back and… he has told me every night since.”

“And how do you feel about him?”

Zenyatta turns his head away from his brother for a moment, seeming to think it over. “I like him,” he says slowly, his mechanical voice dropping low so that he will not be overheard. “And that scares me… I have not told him that I have feelings for him. I believed that we were incapable of love, incapable of being scared. But, when I am with him, brother, I  _ feel.  _ I feel so much more than the coding telling me to do my job. I feel happiness. I feel love. I feel frustration and terror and sadness.”

Mondatta reaches forward as soon as Zenyatta’s voice begins to waver and shake, pulling the golden omnic into a comforting but lifeless hug. He can only imagine how these emotions must be tearing the younger omnic up inside. Technically, they were not supposed to feel. It goes against their purpose. It makes things difficult.

“Brother.” Mondatta’s voice is at its lowest setting and he presses his faceplate directly to the audio receiver on the other omnic’s neck. “I learned so much in my time away from the Crimson Circuit… There are other omnics who feel as well. And these feelings are not bad. They are a gift… But they are a gift that must remain hidden... for now.” He pulls back only slightly so that he can get a good look at his brother. “Tell your friend how you feel. If you love him, then that is a beautiful thing… But do  _ not  _ let Maximilien know. He will not understand.”

As if on cue, the club owner’s voice rings over the loudspeakers of the club. “Places, everyone. Doors open in five.” 

Both brothers are silent for a long moment before Zenyatta speaks up. “Mondatta. You have changed since your return. What happened when you were taken away?” 

The taller omnic stays silent for a long moment, not sure if he could recount the events in such a short time. 

* * *

 

As far as customers went, Akande was not a bad one. He was only in town for about a week at a time with months between his visits. When he did show up, it was for several nights in a row, each night spent with the club’s most adored dancer. He never had much to say during their nights together but he was not cruel or overly rough.

Needless to say, it came as a surprise to Mondatta when he was told he would be leaving the Crimson Circuit. No sex droid brought to the club had ever left. The idea of it was unheard of. But apparently whatever amount of money Mr. Ogundimu offered Maximilien was enough to break tradition.

Zenyatta did not take it well. In retrospect, it was clear that the younger omnic did not have enough time to cope with the news. One night he was told that his brother would be leaving and the next he was gone. 

Mondatta tried to pretend that the sudden change in environment did not phase him. When he had been activated ten years ago, it was in the storage room of the Crimson Circuit. Never since then had he stepped foot outside of the club. Suddenly he was given real clothes, jeans and a hoodie, and instructed to follow Akande to his car. The flight to Oyo, Nigeria had taken almost an entire day and when the pair arrived, Mondatta was ushered from plane to limo to a penthouse apartment in the center of town.

Mondatta did not know what to do with what felt like his newfound freedom. Akande would leave the apartment for days on end and the omnic was permitted to do whatever he wanted to fill his free time as long as he was ready to pleasure his new master upon his return. For the entire first week, Mondatta would power down to conserve energy and pass the time quicker, but eventually, he turned to other pastimes. He began reading from his owner’s extensive book collection, particularly those which dealt with philosophy and religion. He watched the news on the television and soon learned how to surf the internet.

It was in that time that he began to learn of the Omnic Crisis.

“What are you watching?”

Mondatta must have been too wrapped up in the old news clip on the computer to have heard Akande enter the apartment. His hand went to the top of the laptop, ready to close the device before the human could see. Before he could, a large dark hand grabbed his own and Akande leaned over the top of him to get a good look at the screen.

The laugh that rolled from the man’s lips came straight from his gut. “You are not planning on killing me in my sleep, are you Mondatta?” 

The omnic could not believe that Akande was able to joke about something so serious. “I would never,” Mondatta responded quickly, tilting his head back to look up at the impossibly tall man. 

“You do not think I have been checking your search history?” Akande asked, his lips upturned in the slightest of smirks. “You’ve taken quite the interest in this particular subject.” 

It was true that Mondatta had been spending most of his time on his topic. He has watched several documentaries on the Omnic Crisis and its causes and has read many first-hand accounts of robots turning against their programming, developing emotions and free will. “It is fascinating to me,” Mondatta replied, seeing no need to lie to the man that technically owned him. “I had never heard of the Crisis before.” 

As he said this, his vision remained locked on the video title on the screen.  _ Omnics Protest Unfair Treatment in Paris.  _ The clip was of a rally in the streets of the city. Hundreds of Omnics and friends alike marched together, holding signs that insist that they are citizens and should have rights.

“That is not surprising,” Akande said, finally letting go of the omnic’s hand and stepping back from the computer desk. He walks toward the king-sized bed, already working on taking off his tie. “I cannot think of a reason why Max would want for his workers to know about an omnic rebellion.” 

Mondatta knew it was true. Things would run smoother at the Crimson Circuit if the omnics did not know they were capable of free will or emotion. Though even with Mondatta’s new knowledge of the subject, he finds it difficult to believe that he possessed either of these things. 

“Where are you supposed to be when I come home?” Akande asked, already taking his seat on the bed.

Immediately, the omnic stood from his seat and closed the laptop in favor of joining his owner. He knelt on the floor at the business man’s feet, helping to untie the leather dress shoes and pull them off. Finally, his hands moved up to the belt of Akande’s pants, undoing the clasp expertly. This was good. Comfortable and familiar. Free will or not, this is what Mondatta was good at. This is what he wanted.

“Be calm, omnic,” Akande’s deep voice rumbled out as he took a thin metallic hand in his own and rested his other hand on the top of Mondatta’s head. “I am not done talking with you yet,” he explained. “Do you think that you have a soul?”

The question threw Mondatta for a loop and he goes silent for a long time, unable to form an answer.

He thinks back to all of the books he has read and all of the videos he has watched where omnics like him describe what it was like to have a soul. To feel emotion and longing. He thought about his time at the Crimson Circuit and the fondness he held toward the omnic he called his brother. “I do,” he finally said, thankful that his programmed voice did not give away his uncertainty. “But I do not know what to do with it.”

Akande stayed quiet as he listened to the omnic and after a long moment, guides the robot to lay down on the bed. “You will know what to do when the time is right.”

Two weeks later, he was told he would be returned to the Crimson Circuit. Apparently, Akande was moving his base of operations to the city of Numbani in order to work as an apprentice for a man named Akinjide Adeyemi. He did not think it best to bring his omnic along and when Maximilien offered him a large sum of money to buy the omnic back, Akande could not refuse.

He left Mondotta with a gift: A business card with his name and number on it and a reminder on the back in perfect handwriting. 

_ You will know what to do. _

* * *

 

“I am sorry that I was away for so long,” Mondatta says finally, choosing not to tell the full story for now. He holds onto his brother’s hand gently, letting himself feel the cold of familiar metal. “But I do not regret my time spent away from this place. The world outside of the Circuit is big and beautiful, brother. I was only able to experience a small portion of it and in that time I learned so much.”

He remembers hundreds of accounts from omnics who had turned against their programming.

“I do not want to work here anymore and I know that you do not either.” His next words are more dangerous than either omnic could imagine. “When the time is right, I want us to leave this place. Together.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 0u0 Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review if you like this story. I read and appreciate every one of them.


	7. The Family Business

Zenyatta finally lets his emotions take over.

He holds onto Genji tight, relishing in the other’s moans as he makes love to him. He cuts off all visual receptors and just lets himself  _ feel.  _ He feels the tight, wet heat of Genji clamping down on his synthetic member. He feels Genji's fingers play with the wires and coils of his back. He feels Genji pressing tender kisses against the unmoving lips of his faceplate. He feels a million emotions welling up inside him, threatening to burst his circuitry at any moment.

“I love you.” The first time he says it, it is quiet and broken. He knows it is not right. It is not what Genji deserves. “I love you,” he repeats again, louder until it turns into a mantra. 

“I love you, Genji. I love you.”

* * *

 

Zenyatta holds his lover close, resting his head on Genji’s bare chest as the two of them come down from their passionate high. 

The omnic feels as though a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. After weeks of trying to deny his emotions, he has finally come to terms with them. He is terrified for what could come next but ignores the uneasy feeling for now in favor of relaxing with his loved one. 

“You meant all of that?” Genji’s voice is quieter than Zenyatta has heard in a long time as if he thinks that the other will regret his words or pretend they were never said.

The omnic tilts his head back, looking up at his customer turned lover. “Of course I did,” he says, voice even and slow. “Do you think that I would lie about something like this?”

“No- I mean- no, of course not,” the green haired boy says quickly, resting a hand on the omnic’s faceplate to reassure the other. He presses a quick kiss to the cool metal of Zenyatta’s forehead before continuing. “It’s just that… I mean it’s been a while-”

“Twenty-nine days.”

“Right,” Genji agrees through a laugh, “It’s been twenty-nine days since I told you I loved you and you never really said it back. I started thinking that you didn’t-... I started to think that you didn’t feel the same.”

Zenyatta does not respond immediately and instead rolls out of Genji’s grasp to be beside him. He lays flat on his back and stares up at the dirty ceiling above them. “I did not at first,” he admits finally. He swears that he can sense Genji’s ego deflating next to him. A mechanical laugh leaves him as his thin fingers work their way into the spaces of the other man’s hand. “At first, Genji!” he reiterates, squeezing onto the other’s hand.

“When you confessed to me,” he begins again, hesitance in his voice, “I thought you were confused. I did not believe that your feelings were in the right place. I did not think it was possible for you to fall in love with me… And I did not believe it possible that I could fall in love at all. Omnics are not programmed with emotions, Genji.”

The green-haired boy stays quiet as he listens to his lover, holding tight to the smaller hand in his own.

“For a long time, the feelings I held toward you confused me, and so I said nothing. It was selfish of me. I am so sorry for making you wait on me, my sparrow.”

A soft smile spreads across Genji’s face as he turns onto his side, wanting to get a better look at the omnic he has devoted so much time to. “I think you’re worth the wait,” he says sweetly. He leans in and presses his lips to the side of Zenyatta’s faceplate. “But what got you to finally come to terms with it?”

Zenyatta goes quiet, turning onto his side to face Genji again. He reaches down and takes another hand in his own so he can hold onto both of the other man’s hands and lean in to press his forehead against Genji’s. “Mondatta said something to me earlier tonight. He mentioned that… He does not want to do this sort of work anymore… And he says he knows that I do not either.”

“You don’t?” Genji is not shocked by the information but it does surprise him that Zenyatta seems willing to admit it after all he has been forced to do. “What do you want to do?”

“Honestly, I am not sure. I never considered anything else. I know this may be difficult to imagine or to understand, given that the possibilities of human life are endless… but I was literally created to work at The Crimson Circuit. My body, my programming, my mind, they were all created to only serve one purpose. This is what I was created to do and yet… I am unhappy here.”

Genji smiles, though it does not reach his eyes. The omnic’s story seems familiar in a way, even if it is not exact. 

“Hey,” he says, sitting up in bed and moving to straddle the omnic’s hips and lean over him. “I know it isn’t the same,” he starts, releasing his lover’s hands to rest them on Zenyatta’s chest. “So my family runs a-” He goes quiet suddenly, unsure of how much he could reveal. There is a certain degree of secrecy that he is expected to preserve, being the heir to a Yakuza clan. Their family deals with illegal weapons and mass drug dealings every day, and so Genji cannot be too careful with who he tells about this. 

If Zenyatta notices the other man’s hesitance, he says nothing.

“My dad died… Almost half a year ago. And since then, my brother and I have been expected to take over the family business.” He only hopes that Zenyatta will not ask further questions about the business. “But it’s never really been something that I’m interested in, you know? Like… I tried to do it for a while because my dad wanted to me to and just ‘cause there was nothing else to do… But I started realizing that it just isn’t for me. And my brother is doing just fine running the company on his own, so I figure maybe I should do something else.”

“What do you want to do?”

Genji sits up straight, hand splayed on his boyfriend’s chest. “I don’t know either!” he says, laughing through his words. “Maybe something with art? I’ve always liked painting and drawing. I’ve been thinking about applying for colleges soon.” He smiles before shrugging his shoulders. “The point I’m trying to make,” he starts again, cupping the side of Zenyatta’s face in one of his hands, “Is that you don’t need to know what you want to do yet. And you don’t have to stay here if it makes you unhappy. Look at me, I’m not going to be a… businessman just cuz my family wants me to.”

Zenyatta lets out a pleased hum at Genji using their similar situation to make him feel better. “What happens if I leave here, though?” he asks slowly. “I could not. Not if it means I would be leaving you. I doubt we could stay in Hanamura if we left the Circuit. Maximilien would not allow it.”

Genji’s heart aches for the worry tinting Zenyatta’s voice. “Hey,” he says softly, leaning down to give the omnic a brief kiss. “Don’t you worry about that. I love you, Zenyatta. If you leave, I’ll follow you. I want to get out of this place anyway. Maybe you and me can make a life together somewhere.”

Zenyatta does not know if he has ever felt happier. He wraps his arms tight around his lover and holds on tight. “I would like that very much, Genji.”

* * *

 

Genji’s good mood is short lived. 

The sun is just beginning to rise over the pagoda’s of Hanamura’s historic district when Genji approaches his home. As soon as he steps past the large wooden gates at the entrance of the Shimada Estate, he is greeted with six faces that are far from happy.

Hanzo stands amongst the Shimada clan’s elders. He will not meet his brother’s eyes and instead stares straight ahead.

“What is this?” Genji asks. The bright smile on his face is quickly washed away by the surprising scene before him. He walks forward before coming to a stop not ten feet away from the group of traditionally clothed men.

Several of the older men glance to Hanzo, as if expecting him to speak on their behalf. The clan leader in training does not look happy to be in this situation one bit and Genji swears that he can sense the discomfort from him. 

Finally, the eldest of the clan, a grey-haired man with tanned skin and scars across the side of his face, speaks up, stepping forward. “Genji,” he begins, “Where have you been?”

The green-haired boy’s boy goes tense at the question. He knows he cannot let the elders know. There is no telling how they would react if they knew that one of their heirs has been spending his nights in an omnic strip club. And so Genji stays silent for a long time.

The old man scoffs at the child in front of him. “If your father could see you today he would feel nothing but shame.”

Hanzo’s eyes drop to the ground, knowing very well what those words would do to his brother.

Genji grits his teeth together. He knows better than to argue with the clan elders, but the anger building within him edges him on. “This has nothing to do with my father!” he says with a raised voice, bitter and defensive. Sojiro loved both of his children until the day he died. Surely, his father would want nothing more than for Genji to be happy.

“It absolutely does,” the man speaks up again, matching Genji’s volume, “Your father’s death has taken a toll on this family. The Shimada clan is weaker than ever and you are out every night without a care to your family’s name!” 

“You're right! I don’t care about my family’s name!” Genji shouts right back, silencing the group of men until the tallest of the elders finally speaks up.

“Is this woman that you are seeing really so important that you would betray your family?” 

Genji’s blood runs cold. 

His mouth hangs open for a moment in shock before narrowing his eyes at his brother who still will not look up from the ground. Hanzo is the only one that Genji has spoken to regarding his nightly outings, using the excuse that he was seeing someone. He stares at his older brother, betrayal in his eyes.

“Enough,” Hanzo finally says. His tone is commanding. Genji has never heard him speak like this. “Leave me and my brother,” he commands, raising his hand to dismiss the elders.

The old men seem hesitant to vacate the area but slowly do as their leader commands, turning and making their way back to the family’s palace. 

Genji does not speak until the last of them have left his sight. “How could you?” he asks, fists clenched hard at his sides. “How could you tell them that?”

“What was I suppose to tell them, brother?” Hanzo asks. The authoritative tone does not leave his voice. He sounds just like the Yakuza boss that he has been training so hard to be.

“Anything but that!” Genji responds. Panic twists and swirls in his stomach. He feels like he is going to throw up.

“I have made them guarantee that nothing will happen to your friend-”

“You can’t trust them, Hanzo! They’re going to-” Genji’s voice breaks and it’s only when his visions blur that he notices the tears forming in his eyes. “Do you know what they might do to him?! Hanzo, I  _ can’t  _ lose him  _ please!”  _

The older man knows what the clan is capable of. He knows that they are willing to do anything to keep Genji in line, even if it means threatening an innocent life. 

“You won’t lose him,” Hanzo responds, voice even despite his uncertainty. He takes a few steps toward the other man. Though the two have grown distant over the past months, he cannot bear to see his little brother so heartbroken. “I promise you they will not hurt him.” 

He reaches out and rests his hands on Genji’s shoulders and suddenly the Yakuza head is gone and Genji’s caring older brother has returned. He squeezes the younger man’s shoulders and pulls him into a lifeless hug. “Genji,” he begins again, “I am so... tired. I cannot do this alone. I  _ need  _ for you to help me. I need you here, by my side. If you do this, I promise you that no harm will come to this man you are seeing.”

Genji had been ready to relax in the hold but something about the way Hanzo says  _ if  _ triggers the dread within him to build again. He knows he is powerless to go against Hanzo and the Shimada Clan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 0u0  
> Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review if you are enjoying the story, they really motivate me to write more.


	8. Spare Parts

Genji found that Hanzo and the Elders had not been bluffing during their confrontation.

The next morning, the young Shimada heir was woken up at nearly 5 am and ushered from meeting to meeting as fellow Yakuza members tried their best to explain the inner workings of the family’s ‘business’ to him. Hanzo stayed at his side throughout it all, chastising his little brother anytime the inexperienced man seemed to not be paying enough attention.

Genji thought it was odd seeing his brother take charge of the Yakuza. Each person that the two heirs spoke with treated Hanzo in the same way that they had Sojiro Shimada. Genji had never been sure if it was out of respect or fear. 

The first couple of days of his training, Genji had been too tired by the time night fell to make the trip to the Crimson Circuit. On the fourth night, Genji planned to slip away during the late hours of the night only to find two guards dressed in dark suits keeping watch outside of his bedroom door and another set just below his window. 

It frustrated him beyond belief to know that despite his compliance in the elders’ demands, he would be unable to see Zenyatta.

When he confronted Hanzo about it the next morning, the older brother was unforgiving. 

“You can not devote yourself to the Shimada clan if your loyalties lie elsewhere, Genji,” he said, not phased at all by his brother’s pleads. “If you wish to honor your family, you must ignore all distractions.”

It is not until two weeks later that Genji gets his chance. There is an illegal arms deal tonight and despite Genji having been on his best behavior, Hanzo insisted that Genji was not ready to be present at an event with such high tensions. While the younger brother first disagreed about his competence level, he soon realizes the opportunity the deal presents. Most of the clan’s members are required to be on standby and so Genji is finally able to sneak out of the Shimada compound due to the limited security.

He checks the hallway first, sliding the door to his bedroom open as quietly as he can. Dark eyes peer out into the dimly lit hall only to see two guards waiting silently outside his door. Their backs are toward him, and Genji holds his breath as he pulls the door closed again.

Next, he hurries over to the window, sliding the wooden frame up and sticking his head out into the cold night air to peer down at the estate's courtyard. A sigh of relief eave him as he realizes that the two guards that typically survey this area are nowhere to be seen. Whether they are off duty for the night or only for a few minutes, Genji has no way of knowing. He knows that he must work fast.

The trip from his window to the ground is practically second nature to Genji by now. He knows exactly where the gaps in the wood boards are, just big enough for his fingers to slip through. And he knew which pieces were strong enough to support his weight.

The second Genji’s feet hit the ground, he takes off running, unsure if any other of the Yakuza members will report him if they see him headed for the exit. 

When he rounds the corner out of his family’s palace and runs past the bell temple, he’s surprised to not see any men guarding the front gate. He does not take the opportunity for granted and instead sprints through the large wooden gates and takes a hard left, heading straight for Hanamura’s red light district. 

* * *

 

By the time he got to the strip club, he feels as though his lungs will collapse, having not slowed down at all on the way there, too excited to see Zenyatta after so long. His hair and clothes are damp with sweat and he runs a hand through his green locks to try and compose himself as he waits for the bouncer to wave him in.

As soon as he is inside, he is greeted with the familiar dancing lights and thumping music. He pushes through the crowd, a big bright grin on his face until he reaches the corner of the room, where it is washed away by confusion. His eyes are locked onto Zenyatta's empty stage for almost a full minute before trailing to the one Mondatta usually occupies. The two brothers are nowhere to be seen. 

Genji frowns, glancing back to the empty stage, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. His recurring payments to Maximilien kept Zenyatta from having to lift a finger so it would not be uncommon for his lover to be waiting in the back for him, but Mondatta should still be in his place. 

“Genji,” The young man barely hears his name being called over the blaring music. “Genji!” the voice shouts again, louder this time. It is familiar and draws his eyes to the bar, where an antennaed omnic with three dots on their head waves him down.

Genji approaches Lynx Seventeen quickly, knowing that the bartender would likely have the answers that he is looking for.

“Lynx,” Genji says quickly, not even taking a seat at the bar, “Where is Zenyatta? And Mondatta?”

A burst of steam rushes from the seams of the silver omnic’s faceplate, much like a sigh. “Not even a hello?” Their antennae tilt to the side with the question but Lynx does not continue the teasing. “Where have you been Genji?” the omnic demands, “It’s been weeks.”

“I got wrapped up in some family business. I need to see Zenyatta. Where is he?”

Lynx’s silence stirs up the fears inside of the young man.

“Lynx?”

The omnic is hesitant to respond but finally, their voice comes out slow and quiet. “He went to the back with a customer a couple of nights ago and has been undergoing repairs since… I heard he would be back to dancing tonight but I haven’t seen him. Mondatta has refused to leave his side sinc-”

Genji does not wait for his friend to finish before turning from the bar and rushing back through the crowd and toward the rear of the club. His mind is swirling with the new information, unsure of how to process it all. But the second he sees Maximilien speaking casually to a customer at the back of the club, he feels the anger rush through him. 

Without thinking, he grabs onto the front of Maximilian's suit. He shoves he omnic hard, satisfied by the way the man’s metal body thuds against the drywall.

“Get security! Call security!” Genji ignores the shouts from around him as he pins the taller man to the wall. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” The club owner’s eyes burn bright red and his metallic fingers clamp down on Genji’s wrist, making it difficult for him to ignore the pain.

“We had a deal!” Genji shouts out furiously before hissing out, “I’ve been paying for him _every_ _night._ You said he wouldn’t be given to anyone else! We had a deal!”

Max’s grip becomes crushing and the younger man has no choice but to let go.

“I do not know what on Earth you heard, but I assure you that this is an overreaction.”

Genji grits his teeth, holding onto his hurt wrist with one hand. “You let someone else have Zenyatta! You told me he would be left alone-”

“ _ If  _ you continued to pay his fee.”

“I never canceled the payments!”

“Clearly you did, or else Zenyatta would not have been given to another client. I am an omnic of my word.”

Genji opens his mouth, ready to argue with the club owner when a sickening thought hits him. It is not impossible that the elders may have frozen his bank account. They did so once in his younger years when he was spending absurd amounts of money on video games rather than books for school. It would not surprise him if they saw the large amounts of money leaving his account every night, and put a stop to his spending.

“That’s him!” The green-haired man barely hears the voice behind him when a heavy metal hand grabs onto his shoulder. He turns on his heels quickly to face the two omnics. They are tall with broad shoulders and thick armor, their faceplates are bare and have no facial features, and they are wearing black security uniforms. 

“Leave him be,” Maximilien commands. Given how much money Genji has been willing to spend at the Crimson Circuit, he is hesitant to toss the young man out. “He’s a customer like any other.” His attention then turns to Genji again as the two other omnics slowly release their hold and take a step back. The green haired boy can tell they will attack him again in a moments notice.

“I want to see Zenyatta,” Genji demands. His eyebrows are knit together and his fists are clenched at his sides, determined to see the omnic.

Maximilien stays quiet for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest. “Visitations are for paying customers only, Genji.”

“You know I’m good for it.”

“I thought you were good for it. But then you disappeared for weeks and so did your money.”

“I can sort the payments out! I’ll pay you double!” He is desperate.

“What is the meaning of this?” Mondatta’s voice surprises both Genji and Maximilien and the pair turn to face the club’s top dancer. Mondatta is dressed in a solid black bathrobe, much different from the sheer and lacy fabric that he wears while performing. He approaches the other two men from the back of the club, stopping only a few feet away as he continues. “What business do you have here?” The hostility in his mechanical voice takes the young man off guard.

“I came to see Zen-”

“Why would you?” Mondatta interrupts, “My brother has waited for you for weeks and now you finally wish to see him?”

Genji grits his teeth. He knows Zenyatta’s brother has every reason to be disappointed in him. Mondatta has always been overly protective of the younger omnic. “I wasn’t able to get away until now. Please, Mondatta, Maximilien, I need to see him!”

“You are foolish if you think that you can come in here and make demands like this-” The red-eyed omnic begins, only to be cut off.

“Let him,” Mondatta says, “You two are being so loud that Zenyatta has already heard his voice. He has asked to see Genji. As much as you and I may disapprove of their meeting, I would rather my brother deal with this himself than have him lose his trust in me.” 

It seems to Genji as though Mondatta expects his brother to turn him away.

As the dancer speaks, Maximilien continues to shake his head though he waits until Mondatta finishes his proposal. “I will not allow him into the back without first paying the nightly fee.”

Mondatta tilts his head and steps toward the suited omnic. He rests his hand on the front of the other omnic’s chest and leans in closer to talk to him. “I want to pay his fee. I will return to work immediately,” he suggests. At Max’s silence, he decides he must sweeten the deal for him. “I will take a group of customers tonight...as many as you can find willing.”

Genji adverts his eyes at the proposal. How could he look Mondatta in the face with the omnic willing to give up so much so that he and Zenyatta can meet? The thought that this is what the two brothers have been going through for years makes him feel guilty and sick. He wishes he had the nerve to stop Mondatta but his worry for his lover sews his mouth shut.

“Fine,” Maximilien says after considering the offer. The money Mondatta will make in hosting an orgy will be several times over what Zenyatta is worth in one night. “Get to work.”

Mondatta spares one last glance at Genji before making his way up the hall toward the club to take his place on a stage.

Genji is ready to hurry down the hall when Max speaks up again. 

“Genji. You need to think long and hard about your interest in my omnic.” Maximilien’s voice is laced with annoyance. “This arrangement we have will not work long term.” It is something that Genji knows but has no solution to. “If you want to keep him out of the hands of others, I suggest you purchase him for yourself as soon as possible. I know you have the funds for it. You would be doing us both a favor by taking him off of my hands.”

Genji stares at Maximilien. Of course, he has thought this option through. But he could not separate Zenyatta and Mondatta. He would need to buy them both. And then what would he do? He could not bring them back to his family’s palace. He had considered setting them up in a hotel or apartment in the city, but given the recent events of the Yakuza, he was not sure it would be safe. “I’ll think about it,” he tells the omnic, a hard frown on his face as he speaks. He then turns from the other man and hurries down the hall in the directions Mondatta had come from. 

“Take a left into the changing room. Zenyatta is in the recovery room at the end.”

This is a part of the club that Genji has never seen before. In fact, he has never walked past room number four, where he usually met with Zenyatta. He has never had a reason to. He finds that there is much more to the Crimson Circuit than he once believed. 

The first area he enters is the aforementioned dressing room. It is mostly empty save for a few omnics doing costume changes. The walls on his right are lined with about twenty different mirrors and seats, each with a ring of lights surrounding each reflective surface. On his left are clothing racks, packed with scandalous costumes and lingerie. He had always assumed that that Zenyatta had his own personal selection but it is now clear to him that all of the omnics here share the same wardrobe.

At the end of the long dressing room are two doors. The one to his right has a golden plaque on the door, with the words “Maximilien’s Office” engraved in the metal. On his left is the “Recovery Room.”

The recovery room is smaller than the visiting room that Genji and Zenyatta had been spending most of their nights in. The area he stands in now actually reminds Genji more of a supply closet than somewhere an omnic can get repairs. But regardless, there are tools scattered across the ground, wrenches, screwdrivers, bolts, and wire clippers, along with spare robot parts piled up in the corner of the room. 

In the other corner is Zenyatta, sitting upon a bare cot that sits close to the ground. Genji closes the door behind him quickly and turns the light on before stilling as he notices the state of his lover.

The omnic is naked, with his hands resting on the cot on either side of him. Several of the metal platings on his hips and sides have been removed, exposing the red and green wiring beneath them. The crown atop his head is dented inward severely, giving his head an irregular shape. 

It is not until the omnic stands from the bed and reaches for his bathrobe that Genji realizes that Zenyatta is missing one of his arms.

He feels the tears spring at his eyes before he can even get a word out. For two weeks he had been kept from his lover, for reasons he could not explain to the omnic. Now, upon his return, he sees just how badly the omnic had been affected by his absence. His once beautiful and perfect omnic is now mangled and damaged beyond anything Genji had seen.

He cannot force himself to approach the other, until finally, Zenyatta reaches out to him with his only remaining hand. “Genji.” His voice is quiet and broken, jumping like a scratched record. 

The green haired man rushes forward then, taking the thin metal hand in his own. “What happened?”

The omnic shakes his head, squeezing onto his lover’s hand tightly before stepping into Genji’s arms and wrapping his metal limb around the man’s waist. “I had a rough customer,” he explains, squeezing onto the other man with all of his might.

Genji is quick to return the embrace, wrapping the cold metal in his arms and holding Zenyatta’s face to his chest. He is afraid to hold on too tight, scared that the dancer might crumble in his arms. “I’m sorry,” he tries to speak up but his voice is strained as he tries to fight tears. “I’m so sorry. This wasn’t supposed to happen. You weren’t supposed to have to work. My payments were supposed to be automatic. Max shouldn’t have-”

“It’s my job, Genji.” The omnic’s words silence the other man’s rambling. “This is not the first time this has happened. And it will not be the last.” 

Genji is frozen in disbelief. How could Zenyatta be so resigned to this kind of treatment after admitting weeks ago that he did not enjoy it?

“But you shouldn’t have had to go through this. I wanted to keep you safe… Look at you. What did they do to you?”

Zenyatta steps back to pull away from the other man. “I have had worse happen to me,” he explains, “It does not hurt. I have turned off my sensors. I am in much better shape now than I was last night. Now I am only waiting for replacement parts from Maximilien’s supplier. They will arrive by tomorrow evening.”

Genji cannot wrap his mind around how the damaged robot can be so calm in this situation. A million feelings run through his head.

Grief.

Worry.

Sadness.

“Where have you been?”

Guilt.

“I-” he knows he cannot explain. His family’s business is a secret so of course, he cannot tell the omnic the full extent of what has happened. “I couldn’t get out. My family- they found out I was sneaking out at night and didn’t like it. They needed my help with… the business. I just couldn’t get away up until now, Zen I really really tried to.”

The silence in the room makes his ears ring. It is not like the noise of the ‘visiting’ room, where Genji could still hear the chatter and music from the strip club through the thin walls. He feels dread swelling in his stomach, threatening to crawl up his throat. He does not want to have to lie to the young omnic, though he knows it is in Zenyatta’s best interest to remain ignorant. 

“I thought you didn’t love me anymore.”

Genji’s heart breaks. Of course, Zenyatta would believe that. Genji disappeared without warning and without a word. Thinking back, it was the night Zenyatta finally confessed his feelings that everything went wrong. 

“No. No, no, Zen- Zenyatta, of course, I love you,” the man rushes the words out, stepping forward to pull the other man into his arms once again. “Zenyatta, I love you so much. I never stopped thinking about you the whole time I was gone. I only want to be with you and I want you to be safe. That’s why I couldn’t come sooner.”

The omnic seems hesitant to relax in the hold but slowly rests his head against Genji’s chest. “I don’t want you to leave again,” he says quietly, finding it difficult to admit.

“I don’t want to leave either, Zen,” Genji assures the omnic, pressing his lips to the dented metal on Zenyatta’s forehead. For a moment he finds himself reconsidering Maximillien's request to buy the omnic. “Come, lay down, Zenyatta,” he encourages gently. As he guides the omnic back to the bed, he finds himself having to carefully step over spare tools and robot parts.

“Lay with me?” 

Zenyatta does not even need to finish speaking before Genji is crawling onto the worn out cot next to his lover and pulling the thin metal frame close. “They’re going to repair you?” he asks, whispering in the quiet room.

“Of course,” Zenyatta says softly, “By this time tomorrow it will be as if I were brand new.”

“I want to stay here with you tonight,” Genji decides finally. He knows very well that the Shimada clan elders will give him a hard time when he returns tomorrow, but he cannot bring himself to leave the Crimson Circuit tonight, not with the condition that Zenyatta is in. “Will Maximilien care?”

“I don’t know,” Zenyatta replies slowly, “Some customers stay until morning. When the sun rises he usually makes them leave. But Genji, I am afraid I will not be very good company tonight. I am… very tired. I may need to recharge.”

“Do it then,” Genji says quickly, not wanting to keep his boyfriend from resting. “I’ll sleep with you and hold you until you wake up.” It felt odd, letting himself relax entirely with his boyfriend in his arms. Never had the two spent more than a few hours together, all of which were awake. Usually, the two would have sex and then spend the night staying up and talking about anything they could think of. Even so, this felt much more intimate. “Goodnight, Zenyatta.”

“Goodnight,” the omnic hums out quietly. 

Zenyatta stays silent for a few minutes. Genji almost believes the other to have already powered down when the mechanical voice speaks up once again. “What did you mean when you said that could not come sooner because you wanted me to be safe?” the dancer asks, tilting his head back to look up at his lover.

Genji shuts his eyes tight and pretends to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Zenyatta. Sorry for making you guys wait so long for this chapter. Things have been busy at work and then I was out of town for about a week. I think we have only two chapters left! (Plus an epilogue likely)  
> Please leave a review if you don't mind.


	9. Up In Flames

Genji does not remember falling asleep. 

When he hears a thud and a yell from outside, he jolts awake. Panic and confusion shoot through his veins and cloud his brain. He is in the Crimson Circuit with his dented and injured lover next to him. He does not know what time it is but the quiet thumping of music tells him not more than a couple of hours has passed. “Zenyatta,” he hisses out, “Wake up.” His voice is hoarse and dry from sleep and he watches as the omnic next to him slowly hums to life and sits up.

“Genji?” he asks, voice dropping low to match his lover’s volume. “What is wrong?”

There is a commotion in the hallway. Genji can hear shouting, both mechanical and human. 

“Where are they?!” An angry and gruff voice echoes down the hall, just outside of the recovery room door.

“The room at the end.” Maximilien’s voice, more distant than the others.

Everything happens so fast that Genji has trouble processing it all.

The door is kicked open and in rush several men in dark suits, with the Shimada’s family emblem embroidered in the lapel of each suit jacket. The sight makes Genji’s blood run cold and he is quick to stand up from the cot in the corner of the room, ready to defend himself and his lover. 

He does not even get a chance to fight against the other clan members. Mind clouded with sleep, his movements are too slow. The second he raises his fists to retaliate, two much larger men are on him, grabbing him by his arms and holding him in a firm grip.

“Genji!” Zenyatta’s voice peaks and distorts as he screams his boyfriend’s name. 

The green-haired boy does not have time to warn Zenyatta to stay back. A single step forward is all it takes for one of the other men to thrust a taser toward the omnic. It sends blue sparks shooting out from the dancer’s circuits and in a matter of seconds, the golden-crowned robot’s legs buckle and he is taken in the arms of another suited Yakuza member.

“Leave him alone!” Genji’s screams are too late. “Stop! Let me g- Let him go! Zenyatta!” He fights in the older men’s hold, squirming and kicking and doing anything he can to try and free himself as he watches Zenyatta and the recovery room get further away. 

He manages to free his hand if only for a moment and brings his elbow down hard against one of the men’s ribs. His retaliation is only met with a heavy fist across the side of his head, immediately knocking him into partially unconsciousness. His vision fades in and out and he cannot move his body.

He is being dragged to the front of the Circuit and can hear the unfamiliar voices exchanging words with the cold and robotic voice of the club owner.

“I hope you will hold up your side of the bargain,” Maximillien says slowly and evenly as his metal footsteps follow along with those of the Yakuza grunts.

“The money is being wired to you as we speak,” one of the men responds. “Thank you for all of your help. He’ll be out of your hair from now on.”

“Maximilien!” Another familiar voice, this one angry and concerned. “What in the world is going on?! What have you done?!” Mondatta’s voice.

Genji cannot focus on the remainder of their conversation. He finds his world slipping away, turning black and silent. 

* * *

 

When he comes to again, he cannot move. There is a pain in his head that thuds and swirls, making him wish he were still asleep. He is tired and sore. It would be too easy for him to keep his eyes closed, to forget about everything that happened.

He still cannot make sense of it but the more he wakes up, the more his memory returns to him. Meeting up with Zenyatta. Seeing the love of his life damaged and incomplete. Lying to him about where he had been. Hearing his scream as Genji was forcibly dragged from his arms.

His eyes open.

It is still dark but Genji immediately recognizes where he is. In front of him is a large brass bell, suspended in the center of the temple, not a hundred feet from the entrance to the estate. His arms and legs are tied together, keeping him in place, unable to move anything but his neck.

“The young dragon is awake.” Genji recognizes the voice of one of the elders. 

He turns his head toward the noise and squints in the night, easily making out the figures of the elders and his older brother. 

“What did you do?” Genji can feel the tears irritating his eyes. “Hanzo, what did you let them do?!” He knew this would happen. He knew he should not have acted out against his family’s wishes and now Zenyatta would pay for his mistakes.

Sojiro’s eldest son is quiet. His eyes are like stone. “What have you done, Genji?” he asks, voice cold and even. “If you had followed the will of the clan then none of this would have happened.” 

“You didn’t have to do this!” Genji’s scream burns his throat. “That’s your choice! You- You’re a monster! Why did you-!”

“This is for your own good, Genji,” Hanzo’s voice is unwavering. He sounds just like a Yakuza head. He is a monster.

“I-” Genji chokes on his tears, knowing that the situation was hopeless. “I hate you.” 

Hanzo does not even blink at the words but the courtyard goes silent aside from the youngest man’s sobs.

“You have one final chance, Genji.” One of the elders speaks up, taking charge of the situation as he steps forward, traditional kimono dragging on the wooden floor as he approaches. “You have disgraced our family with your… affairs. A Yakuza leader’s son sleeping with an omnic... It is unheard of.” Genji can heard the disgust in his voice. “We will make sure you never see that _thing_  again,” he continues, narrowed eyes locked on the young man, “Another  _ toe  _ out of line and you  will not live to regret it.” 

The air is heavy as the words sink in. They clog Genji’s throat and burn his eyes, only making the tears come faster. 

“Let us go,” the elder says, turning his back to the pathetic boy, “He needs time to think on what he has done.” Without a word, Hanzo follows the other elders back toward the mansion, leaving onto two suited guards behind to keep an eye the man who brought shame to their family. 

* * *

 

Hours pass.

Genji does not know how long. His head aches and his tears have dried. He stares down at his tied up legs, numb to the world. He cannot cry anymore. He cannot think. He cannot process the footsteps slowly approaching the temple.

“Leave us.” The voice is so far away, so muted and quiet. Genji feels like he has been submerged underwater with everything moving in slow motion, a world away. 

The two suited guards exchange glances with one another but neither dares to disobey their clan leader’s command. Within a minute, they are gone. 

“Genji, look at me.” Hanzo’s voice breaks through Genji’s bubble. It brings him back to reality and he is met with anger and grief again. He does not look up.

His older brother sighs, kneeling down in front of Genji. “Why could you not just do as we asked of you?” He asks, reaching out with a pale and calloused hand to rest atop a bed of green hair. His voice is soft, trying to remind the other man that he is family. Not a monster.

But Genji knows what he is. He jerks his head away from the touch and grits his teeth together. “Fuck you,” the words come out as a hiss, a warning for the dark haired man to stay away from him.

Hanzo goes silent, pulling his hand back slowly. “I see,” he says, voice taking a different tone. “You did this to yourself, brother. If you had just stayed put, none of this would have happen.” 

Genji is silent. He knows that it is true.

“I am giving you one final chance brother,” he says slowly, “After tonight you must be nothing but loyal to our family. You heard the elders. If you step out of line again it will be  _ your  _ life on the line.” 

Genji’s heart stops as he watches his brother reaches into the center of his kimono. When his hand emerges it is with a silver knife. He is not afraid. After all, does he have anything left to lose?

It all feels like a strange dream to him as he watches his brother go about cutting the ropes from his ankles, from behind his knees, his arms and chest, and then his wrists.

“You have only one hour to return. This is your last chance.”

The words do not make any sense. Genji watches in a daze as his brother stands up and turns his back to him. It is not until the dark haired man has completely disappeared from his line of vision that Genji rises to his feet. It takes another few minutes for him to process all that had happened and suddenly, he finds himself running back toward the Crimson Circuit.

He made this trip earlier this night but the adrenaline in him this time around blurs the street signs, the people, the buildings. 

He remembers hearing his lover scream out to him. Seeing the omnic go limp as he was tasered for sleeping with someone he should have never met. All of this is Genji’s fault. He at least needs to apologize. He has an hour to try and explain himself, to make things right by Zenyatta.

He smells the smoke long before he sees it. He can hear sirens. He sees people running through the streets, yelling out and calling out to their loved ones. His stomach churns, rolling and dropping as he turns the corner, only to see the Crimson Circuit up in flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I warned yall that we were coming to a close. Please leave me a comment. I can't thank y'all enough for reading.


	10. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay!

Genji stayed until the fires were put out. Until dawn, when the first rays of light began to illuminate the streets of Hanamura in an orange glow. Smoke and ash linger in the air, burning at the young Shimada’s eyes.

The past hours have been painful. Every time an omnic was dragged from the fire, he would rush over, only to be disappointed again and again. When the firefighters stopped pulling people from the crumbling building, Genji finally gave up.

Hanzo’s words keep repeating in his head.

_ You did this to yourself. _

His brother was right.

He never intended for his actions to hurt others but he had been so blinded by his own lust, by his own love, that Zenyatta had been caught in the crossfire. 

He knows that the clan is responsible for this. It is sick and twisted. It was not enough for them to rip him away from his beloved dancer. They had to make sure Genji would truly never see him again. 

And  _ Hanzo.  _ Hanzo let him leave. He told him he had another chance. All the while the older Shimada brother knew exactly what was to become of the Crimson Circuit. He wanted Genji to see it. He needed his brother to know that there was nothing for him outside of their family's business.

But how is he supposed to return home after what they did to him? If anything, is this not the final straw? The Shimada clan has nothing left to hold over him. He has been left with nothing.

That is how Genji sees it.

And so he cannot bring himself to make the walk back to the Shimada estate. Instead, he sits on the curb of the street in front of the black remains of the omnic strip club watching the run rise and the smoke billow in the air. It is only a matter of time before someone from the clan comes to take him back or take his life. He can not run from it anymore.

His thoughts wander back to Zenyatta. In less than three months, he had fallen head over heels for the dancer. He never knew it was possible to love an omnic, having only seen them as objects before, as artificial intelligence, less than human.

Zenyatta showed him that it was far from the truth. The omnic was capable of happiness, worry, sadness, love. He knew that the golden-crowned dancer was never happy with his assigned position as a sex worker. He mentioned running away from the Circuit. He wanted to leave and never look back, to start a life with Genji somewhere far from Hanamura’s red light district.

And now, because of Genji’s foolishness, the omnic will never see a life outside of the club.

Genji is brought from his grieving thoughts by a familiar voice, angry and filled with static. 

“You!” Genji’s head immediately snaps to the side at Maximilian's voice. The black and silver omnic’s feet click loudly against the asphalt as he rushes toward Genji. He has lost his black suit jacket and is dressed in only his red button down and black slacks, both covered in ashes. “What did you-r family do, you brat?!”

Genji jumps to his feet, alarmed by the speed in which the club owner approaches him. His hands come up defensively as Maximilien grabs onto his shirt. The green haired teen is taken aback by the sudden roughness, and his hands scramble at the metal fist clenching in the front of his shirt.

“Who-... do you people thi-... think you are?! You think you own this city?! This was  _ not  _ pa-... part of our deal!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Any relief Genji felt at seeing a familiar face was quickly washed away by the omnic’s anger. He pushes the metallic hand from his chest, eyes going wide as the grogginess leaves his mind.

“Your- f- amily!” Maximilien’s programmed voice cuts in and out. His voice box is obviously damaged, whether from the fire or something else entirely Genji cannot tell. “We had a-... deal.”

Genji tenses up as the omnic steps toward him again and his hands immediately flatten against Max’s chest to shove him away. “What deal?” 

_ “I hope you will hold up your side of the bargain.” _

_ “The money is being wired to you as we speak. Thank you for all of your help.” _

The exchange had escaped his memory with everything else that had happened to him. He had barely heard the words between Maximilien and a Yakuza gangster when he was dragged from the club before losing consciousness. But now the memory comes rushing back to him, stirring up the anger inside of him.

“What did you do?!” he shouts, his posture switching from defensive to offensive suddenly as he steps forward, grabbing ahold of the robot’s button-down. “Maximilien!” He practically lifts the club owner off of the ground, slamming the thin frame against brick wall of a corner store. “What was your deal?!” 

The lights on Maximilien’s faceplate flicker with the slam and suddenly the tables are turned. Static comes from his speaker for a moment before finally, the omnic begins to form words again. “They paid me t- tell- them wh- They paid me to tell them where you were. They s- said that they’d take you and Zenyatta off my hands.” A broken laugh leaves the omnic at Genji’s shocked expression. “They were going to compensate m- for the loss in pro- property. They owe me a lot more now.”

Genji feels his anger shift. Not only had the Shimada clan tracked him down but he had been betrayed by Maximilien as well. He should have known that he could not trust the omnic. The Shimada clan had plenty of contacts within the red light district. It was only a matter of time before they found out where Genji had been sneaking away to.

“You son of a bitch!” Genji does not realize that his violent actions had drawn the attention of people on the street. He slams Maximilien against the wall again despite the onlookers. The omnic’s laughter spurs him on more and suddenly, Genji finds himself reeling his arm back, ready to put a dent in Max’s faceplate for all that he has done to both Genji and Zenyatta.

“Genji!”

The green-haired boy did not expect to be taken ahold of and pulled backwards by two firm hands grabbing his shirt. He throws an elbow back, wincing in pain as it catches on a hard metal chest-plate. He hisses with the ache of it, whirling around quickly to see who had interrupted him in his rage.

“Maximilien will get what is coming to him. There is no need for you to act on your anger.”

“Mondatta!” Genji’s eyes go wide with the realization as he immediately recognizes the nine glowing dots on the omnic’s forehead. 

The white and gold omnic looks fairly unharmed. Quite the opposite really. He looks like he escaped the Crimson Circuit without a scratch and unlike Maximillien, there is not a single speck of ash on him. He is dressed in street clothes, a dark red jacket with the hood pulled over his head, and baggy black pants. If someone just happened to see him on the street, they would have no clue that he was a sex droid.

“Where’s Zenyatta?” The question comes rushing out. Mondatta is here. He is fine. Maybe Zenyatta made it away too.

“Calm down,” Mondatta tells him, resting a hand on his shoulder, though he knew the words would not placate the other man until he got his answer. “I will take you to him. He is safe for now.”

Genji feels the emotions from the past hours coming back up his throat and choking him as he begins to cry again. Anger, sadness, grief, guilt. They all overwhelm him and he crumbles forward, grasping onto Mondatta’s jacket for some form of stability. 

“Hush now, child,” Mondatta’s voice is soft and reassuring, “We do not have any time to waste. My brother and I must leave this city tonight.” 

Genji nods quickly, trying to gather his thoughts together and compose himself.

“The hell- you are!” Maximilien’s voice draws his attention again. “That little who- whore caused me al- this trouble in the first place!” The normally composed business man was gone and in his place was an angered omnic with nothing left to lose.

“We are leaving,” Mondatta says firmly, stepping between Genji and the angered robot. “If everything goes according to plan, you will never see my brother or I ever again.”

The young Shimada does not understand how the omnic can be so calm in this situation, facing the person who had controlled him for so many years.

“Let us go, Genji,” Mondatta says simply, turning to face away from Max and resting a hand on the human boy’s back.

The two only are able to take a few steps down the sidewalk before Maximilien’s voice is coming out again, staticing and spiking with nearly every syllable. “Where the hell do you thi- you’re going?!” Loud footsteps catch up to them quickly and an angry hand reaches out, grabbing Mondatta by the arm and spinning him around. “Y- Can’t leave! I  _ own  _ you, you slu-”

Before the red-eyed omnic can finish, Mondatta reels back and sends a fist crashing against the other robot’s faceplate. The blow sends Maximilien to the ground and makes the lights on his head flicker. He lands with a heavy clang followed by the ear piercing sound of metal scratching against concrete.

Genji can do nothing but stare on in awe as Mondatta shakes his hand, as if it had been dirtied with the act before putting both hands into the pockets of his jacket. 

“Shall we go then, Genji?”

* * *

 

The two walk for much longer than Genji expected them to, silently making their way through back roads and alleys, avoiding crowds when they can.

Genji does not ask where they are going. He does not have to. All he needs to know is that he will be reunited with Zenyatta soon. Zenyatta, who he thought had been taken by his family, who he thought had died in the fire at the Circuit. Who he owed far more than an apology to. 

He cannot put his thoughts together, unsure of what he will say to the dancer when he sees him. He only hopes that Zenyatta will forgive him for all of the trouble he had dragged him into.

“I gave you an hour.”

His brother’s voice rips him from his thoughts and immediately sends panic running through his body. Before he can turn around to face the older Shimada, he hears the first arrow whiz through the alley and right past his ear. He is unable to do anything but watch in horror as the thing pierces through a red jacket and into the metal of Mondatta’s shoulder, tearing out an electronic yell that cuts off quickly. The omnic must have turned off his pain receptors but the damage was already done.

Genji whirls around, dry voice choking out a yell. “Hanzo! Stop!” His eyes widen when he sees his brother.

Hanzo’s form is barely recognizable at the end of the dark alleyway. He wears his traditional dress but the sleeve of his left arm is missing, a clear sign that he was ready to fight. “How shameful. For a son of Sojiro Shimada to try and run away with an omnic.” The older man’s voice is stone cold and he has already begun to notch a new arrow and draw it backwards. He directs the arrow past his brother, taking aim for the already injured omnic. 

“Brother! Stop this!” Genji moves to stand in front of the omnic, trying to block Mondatta from the oncoming arrow which soars straight past them on the left. A warning. If Hanzo wanted Mondatta dead, he would have killed him already. The Yakuza leader does not miss shots like this.

Genji stands his ground, knowing very well that his brother’s patience must be wearing thin. “Mondatta. Run,” He tells his friend, glancing over his shoulder to the injured omnic. “I’ll catch up with you. Just go!”

Mondatta seems to hesitate, resting a hand on Genji’s shoulder and squeezing onto it. He does not understand the situation. He knows from a few hours ago that the young man is involved in some sort of gang, but does not know the extent of how bad things have gotten. “You need to come with me,” Mondatta says, having come all this way to bring Genji to his brother. “We must run together.”

Genji knows it will not work. The second he tries to run from Hanzo, the other man will unleash another arrow. And this time he will not miss. The only way for Mondatta to escape is to go on his own. If Genji is lucky, he will be able to talk Hanzo into letting his guard down. But for now, he needs to take this one step at a time. “Go,” He tells Mondatta again, “Tell Zenyatta I’ll see him soon.”

The omnic does nothing for nearly a minute before slowly backing away, keeping his eyes on Hanzo’s bow for any sign he is about to attack. When he reaches the end of the alleyway, he turns and runs as fast as he can. Maybe if he hurries he can get help for the young man.

Genji says nothing until the sound of Mondatta’s heavy footsteps can no longer be heard. “Are you alone?” he finally asks, realizing that if his brother brought reinforcements, Mondatta could be headed into a trap.

“It is my duty alone to put you in your place.”

Genji’s fingernails dig into his palms, glancing around the alley for any sort of cover, something to hide him from his brother’s aim. “So you’re here to bring me back?” he guesses, holding his ground against his brother. He knew the older Shimada was far more skilled than him in hand to hand combat and as long as Hanzo holds his bow and arrow, Genji stands absolutely no chance of escape. “I’m not going back,” Genji says stubbornly, taking a step backwards, trying to slowly put some space between he and his attacker.

“I have been far too kind to you. I’ve given you every chance! I even let you return to say your goodbyes and this is how you thank me?” Hanzo’s voice is a bitter hiss, coated in disdain.

“You tried to kill Zenyatta!” Genji shouts back, surprised by the volume in his own voice. “You only let me leave so I’d see what you did to the Crimson Circuit!” The fire and smoke still stain Genji’s memory. He knew it was the fault of his clan. How was he supposed to return when he knew what the Shimadas did to him? 

Hanzo’s silence only edges him on further, stirring up the anger inside of him. Could the clan leader not even admit to what he had done? “I’m not going back with you!”

“It is far too late for that, Genji!” Hanzo’s voice pierces through the early morning air, carrying an anger that Genji cannot recall having ever heard before. 

The younger brother thinks his eyes are tricking him at first. He has not seen Hanzo summon his dragons in years. But soon the bright blue glowing and shifting tattoos on the older man’s left arm become obvious. The light from the tattoos radiate throughout the empty alley, casting blue shadows against the narrow brick walls as Hanzo pulls back his final arrow.

It all happens so sudden. Genji never thought for a second that his brother would resort to killing him. He knew it was standard procedure in the clan. If a member tries to leave, they become a target for the Shimada family’s assassins. But Genji never thought it would happen to him, and at the hands of his own brother no less.

He turns his back to Hanzo, taking off and running as fast as he can. His legs feel weak and cannot seem to carry him fast enough. The alleyway only seems to get longer and longer with every step he takes. 

He cannot escape the searing pain and bright blue light that engulf his body.

_ “Ryuu ga waga teki wo kurau.” _

* * *

“We need to go back for him!”

Mondatta knew this would happen. He rests his hands on his panicked brother’s shoulders, squeezing onto the dented and scuffed metal there. Things would have been so much easier if he had simply not found Genji at all. But of course, returning with an arrow lodged in his shoulder had set Zenyatta in a frenzy. 

All he could do was explain what happened on his way back from the Crimson Circuit. Finding Genji, the confrontation with Maximilien, and the mysterious archer who ambushed them on their route back to the old abandoned building. 

“We can’t go back,” Mondatta says calmly, trying to hold things together for both of their sakes. “It is not safe.”

“It isn’t safe for him either!” Zenyatta argues, grabbing onto his brother’s hand with his only remaining arm. “He could get hurt!”

Mondatta feels his resolve deteriorating and after scanning his brother’s face, he lets out a quiet noise of frustration. Finally, he turns his attention to the man standing in the corner of the room. “Is there anything you can do?”

Mondatta knows that he has asked Akande Ogundimu for too much already. The older man had given him a business card the last time they spoke, and Mondatta saw Ogundimu as the only way to freedom for him and his brother. When he finally reached out to his former owner, Akande had been suspiciously accommodating. He offered to help them leave at any cost, provide them protection, transport, and offered to find somewhere safe for them to start a new life.

The older man is in the corner of the empty room, sitting in an old wooden chair that seems to bend under his weight. His dark eyes pierce Mondatta’s face plate as he finally stands and approaches the two omnics. “If everything you said is true,” he begins, voice smooth and deep, “Then it is not safe for us to be wandering the streets. Especially if Maximilien saw you. I am sure he is already trying to round up any of his sex droids that survived the fire. By Japanese law, you both still belong to him. He could put in a stolen property report and have you brought back to him.” 

The truth was ugly and Zenyatta shakes his head, as if to dispel the older man’s words from his head. “Genji needs help! We have to go get him. He won’t even know how to find his way here when he escapes the archer-”

“Hush.” Akande’s voice is commanding and silences the younger omnic immediately. He continues forward, stopping just a few feet from the two brothers. In a fluid motion, he reaches out, fingers wrapping tight around the base of the arrow in Mondattas chestplate. He pulls the thing free, causing nine blue lights to flicker on the omnic’s forehead. Without a word, he examines the arrow for a few seconds before coming to a conclusion.

“There is no helping Genji,” he says finally, much to the omnics’ horror. “If I had to guess from your story. The man who intercepted you is Hanzo Shimada… He is a skilled archer with exceptional power. If he wants Genji dead, then he is dead already.”

Akande had plenty experience with the Shimada Clan, having approached Sojiro Shimada time after time with propositions of alliance. When he believed the Yakuza leader’s youngest son would be joining them on their departure, he thought he had lucked out. If Genji Shimada were to come along, Akande could convince him to ally with Talon, gaining the Shimada’s dragon powers for his righteous cause.

He had met with Hanzo before on a couple of occasions, and the older brother clearly had no interest in Talon, having commanded that Akande stay out of Hanamura if he knew what was good for him. It was not worth putting his life in danger for the sake of one brother, when he was likely to make an enemy of the other.

A quiet buzz of a cellphone in Akande’s pocket tells him it is time to go. “The helicopter will be landing soon. We must head up to the roof.”

Mondatta frowns down at his younger brother, worried for the omnic’s sake. Zenyatta seems to be in a daze, head tilted toward the dirty floors of the abandoned building. He could not accept the fate of his boyfriend, who he had only recently be reunited with. 

Mondatta reaches out for his brother’s hand. “Zenyatta… We must go. Our window will close if we don’t.”

“I’m not leaving without him!” Zenyatta buzzes out finally, taking a step away, putting distance between him, his brother, and the man who had bought him months ago. “You-!” The omnic’s voice crackles with the volume, “You just go then! I’m staying here! I’m not going anywhere unless Genji is with me!”

Mondatta cannot bear hearing his closest friend so distraught. He tries to reach out to the other dancer only for the smaller omnic to take another step back. The room is silent for nearly a minute.

Mondatta remembers seeing Hanzo Shimada at the Circuit earlier that evening. When the suited men made their way to the back, when Zenyatta’s scream echoed through the halls. He watched as his brother’s limp body was shown to the long haired clan leader only for him to then be left on the ground of the Circuit as Genji was dragged from the building. 

These men are far more dangerous than Zenyatta could understand. The hole in Mondatta’s chest plate is a reminder of that.

He cannot let them near his brother again.

Mondatta tilts his head back, looking up to Mr. Ogundimu for a moment. “I won’t leave Hanamura without my brother,” he tells Akande, sure that the dangerous man will understand what must be done. 

Without hesitation, Akande steps forward, grabbing Zenyatta by his only arm. He yanks the frail and broken omnic forward and a large calloused hand grabs him by the back of the neck. 

Mondatta has to look away as Akande rips a strand of wires from his brother's back. He knew Zenyatta would feel no pain. He knew that as soon as they rewired him into a new body, he would be as good as new. But the emotional toll would be significant. Could Zenyatta forgive him for this? 

Akande hefts Zenyatta’s limp body over his shoulder, resting his other hand on Mondatta’s back. “Let us go. Our ride is waiting.”

Mondatta tries to put the Crimson Circuit behind him. He tries to forgive Maximilien. He tries to forgive the customers who abused him and his brother. He tries to forgive himself for what he had to do to escape the strip club that he was created in.

He only hopes that Zenyatta can forgive him for what he has done. Once the younger omnic has a new body to hold his programming and memory. Once they find a new, safer life among omnics like themselves. Once they make it to Nepal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys weren't hoping for a happy ending! Rest assured there will be an epilogue uploaded very soon to tie up all loose ends! Please let me know what you all thought of the story! It has been such an amazing experience writing this and I'm so thankful for everyone who has taken this journey with me!


	11. Epilogue

Hanzo gave his brother every possible chance. He stood behind Genji after every mistake, misstep, and negligent act. He gave him every opportunity to right the path he was walking. Every warning as to what was to come.

_ It is Genji’s fault that it came to this.  _ At least, that is what Hanzo tries to tell himself. But if that were the case, why, when Hanzo releases his arrow, does Genji’s scream send nausea running through his stomach and guilt through his mind?

The mystic blue light of his dragons dissipates from the alleyway and Hanzo wishes that this was all over. He thought that dragons would be the easiest way to end his brother’s life. He thought it would be quick. Painless. 

Genji’s screams and sobs echoing on the brick walls prove that it was anything but. Hanzo’s brother is still very much alive and is in incredible pain. 

The sun had only just begun to peak over Hanamura’s horizon and with the limited light, Hanzo can faintly make out the figure in front of him. Genji is on the ground, his body is twisted and mangled. There is blood everywhere.

He has never heard his little brother cry like this before. He sobs and shrieks and screams, crying for someone, anyone to help him. 

If Hanzo was a stronger man, he would have put his brother out of his misery. End his suffering and stop his little brother from feeling any more pain. 

Instead, he turns away. 

* * *

 

Mondatta regretted starting the fire at the Crimson Circuit. 

He never expected the flames to catch hold and spread as quickly as they did. He only wanted to create a diversion. A way to distract Maximilien while Mondatta and Zenyatta ran from the circuit. 

It went as planned at first. He used a guest’s cigarette lighter to set fire to a line of costume racks in the back of the club. He hurried back to the dancefloor of the club and waited for the panic to begin. Within minutes, Maximilien ran to changing room, yelling and cursing as he went. Mondatta saw that as his opportunity to take his still injured brother by the hand and guide him toward the exit. 

The two met up with Akande only a few blocks away. Mondatta had stayed in touch with his previous owner since his return to the Crimson Circuit and was grateful for the older man’s eagerness to help him and his brother escape. 

But when he hears the screaming on the street and the commotion about a much larger fire than intended, he insists that Akande take Zenyatta ahead so that he can see the extent of the damage he caused.

It was far worse than he imagined. He watched from a distance as the Circuit was engulfed in a blaze. Firefighters and first responders rushed to try to manage and control the flames. He saw several entering at a time to save civilians and watched in horror as humans were escorted to ambulances while the charred bodies of omnics, both dancers and customers, were piled up in the street where they were left until the cleaning crew arrived.

The scene made the omnic angry. How could these heroes save human lives while tossing androids aside as if they were garbage? Did omnics not have lives? Were they not equals?

When he and his brother settled down in Nepal, it did not take Mondatta long to realize what he wanted to do with the new life he has been given. 

* * *

 

Akande never missed an opportunity to create chaos when it was presented to him. Many of his endeavors were great successes. The assassination of his mentor, Akinjide Adeyemi, the attack on Numani, among other terrorist attacks across the globe.

Others, like in the case of Mondatta, did not go quite as planned.

Akande saw potential in the Crimson Circuit’s dancer. Mondatta had a curious nature, an interest in omnics’ rights, and the capacity to start a revolution that would make the first omnic crisis look like a small uprising.

But Akande could not have anticipated the omnic’s compassion and how quick he was to forgive a world that had hurt him.

There were hundreds of aimless omnics in Nepal. Akande was sure if he set Mondatta and his brother up with a new life there, the population would soon be united by their hatred for the human race and would then seek justice. He never imagined that the thing to unite them would be ideas of nonviolence and equality rather than vengeance.

Their movement grew, led by none other than the omnic Akande had helped years ago.

He began calling himself ‘Tekhartha’, a title that began to be associated with omnic monks. He led rallies all over the world, preaching love to all people be they omnic or human. He became the face of the omnic’s rights movement and created a more peaceful society.

He was of no use to Akande anymore. His experiment had not gone at all like he had hoped and he knew what had to be done long before it happened. 

He read of the assassination at King’s Row while he was locked away in a jail cell and felt no remorse for the omnic that was only. Afterall, Mondatta was only a tool for him. 

* * *

 

Genji would have agreed to anything to save his life. Never had he been so afraid of death until it was right in front of him, staring him down. 

No one was sure how long he had been left laying on the hard concrete of the dark alleyway. To him, it felt like hours had passed, maybe even days. 

Doctor Ziegler said they found him just in the nick of time. Any longer, and he would have died of blood loss. 

Commander Reyes always reminded him that he should be grateful they found him when they did.

Agent McCree told him that he was lucky Overwatch took him in instead of him being taken to a normal civilian hospital. 

Genji never felt lucky for a second. His body had been nearly completely destroyed by his brother’s dragons. Both his legs, his arm, his jaw, and many of his internal organs had to be replaced by synthetic parts. When he walks down the street, children are frightened of him and he is often asked ‘What are you? An omnic or a man?’

For months during his rehabilitation, thoughts of the Crimson Circuit never crossed his mind. Much of his life had been wiped from his memory and all he could remember was two fearsome blue beasts charging toward him and a searing pain.

The first time he saw Tekhartha Mondatta give a speech on the news, it all came back to him.

Zenyatta, the omnic who he had fallen in love with. The one who he threw his life away to be with. The one who he never got to say goodbye to. How could he have forgotten someone who meant so much to him?

But suddenly, Genji could remember his lover as clear as day. He could hear his voice and picture his face. 

He wanted to track down the omnic, but there was no telling if Zenyatta would forgive him for all he had done, for all the trouble he caused. And he did not want his long lost friend to see him like this. He was not the man he used to be. He was broken and sad. He was hardly a man.

It is not until the fall of Overwatch that Genji gathers his courage. With nowhere to go and no place to return to, he finally makes the long journey to Nepal. It was as good of a place as any to start. 

* * *

 

Mondatta’s murder took an incredible toll on Zenyatta. With the hole in the Shambali’s leadership, many of the omnic monks were quick to look to Zenyatta to fill his brother’s shoes.

But Zenyatta was not his brother. He did not have the same confidence or capacity for leadership that Mondatta possessed. He preferred working one on one with both omnics and humans rather than attending large rallies and speaking to the masses.

Filled with grief and burdened by the loss, Zenyatta announced his decision to leave Nepal. He traveled the world, speaking to small communities and watching from a distance as the Shambali re-established themselves as a peaceful covenant.

It took him a long time to come to terms with what had happened and where his life had taken him. 

Ten years ago, he had been a sex droid in the Crimson Circuit’s strip club. He experienced anger, pain, love, grief. After leaving, Zenyatta had little time to mourn the loss of Genji Shimada. He was whisked from place to place, given an entirely new body and an entirely new life.

He never let himself grieve for what he had lost until he finally lost it all. 

For nearly a year, he let himself feel everything he had pushed down and ignored. And when he finally returned to Nepal, it would be with a clear mind and a calmed soul.

The road to the Shambali monastery never seemed as long as it had on his return. He has made this trip up into the mountains hundreds of times before, but somehow this time it seems much for solemn. More meaningful.

He admires the way that the cobblestone paths twist and turn up steep inclines. Notices how the higher he climbs, the more snow begins to fall. He watches the grasses go from vibrant green to brown to white and covered in snow. 

He did not expect to find another traveler along the path. It was rare that people made this journey alone. 

“Peace be upon you,” Zenyatta hums out a greeting as he crosses the man’s path, before slowly coming to a halt and turning to face him. 

The stranger sits on a large rock along the path. He’s covered from head to toe, with a mask and a white length of fabric wrapped around his head to cover his face. It is impossible to tell whether the man is omnic or human. But Zenyatta can tell by the way the stranger clenches his fists and lowers his head that something is wrong.

“What is troubling you, my friend?” Zenyatta asks, stepping from the stone path to approach the masked stranger. He waits for an answer for nearly a minute before continuing, “Are you heading up the mountain? Perhaps we can travel together.”

The strange man finally looks toward Zenyatta’s face and after a moment he nods slowly and stands.

The two strangers fall into step alongside each other, silently making their way up to the temple.

“What brings you to the Shambali?” Zenyatta finally asks. He wants to respect the man’s privacy but the other’s silence has him worried. 

Zenyatta gazes over at the man, unaware of the mangled but familiar face beneath his mask.

It would only be a few more hours before the two long lost lovers recognized one another.

“I’m looking for an old friend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, this wraps all loose ends!   
> Thank you all so much for reading and enjoying this story as much as I did.  
> It would mean the world to me if you left a review, and if you have any questions I'm more than happy to answer them.  
> Also if you want to check out any of my other works I'd appreciate it a lot (I'm working on a fantasy Doomcio AU right now that I'm having a blast with.)

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave me a review if you want to see more!


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